A Little More Quiet
Puck was still jammed up at the breakfast counter, shortly finished with bacon, and in-depth with Minecraft, while Gloria prepared to leave for the office. It was 8:30 on another cool summer morning, and why not enjoy living it up at Nana’s and Papa’s for just a little longer?
We left just before ten, new wooden sword included.
Cardboard and poster paints littered the floor an hour later. Puck had dug up some dusty collapsed box in the garage and Mom was ready with her glue gun to help add to the collection of Medieval weaponry.
This time, Puck concluded his morning with two cardboard daggers, painted black and silver. His armory had expanded.
While scraps of lunch were put together upstairs, Puck had been rummaging with Mom in the basement for old plastic armor pieces. Instead, he found an old fur hat of mine, gifted but never worn. He already had it wedged on the top of his big head, looking Russian.
He took that style on the road. I watched him march down to the neighbor’s house, decked out. White-and-blue track shorts, black praying mantis t-shirt, Russian hat.
“At least he doesn’t seem to care what’s cool or not,” I told Carrie from the window.
She laughed a little. “Well … maybe he’ll be the one to set the standard for cool.”
Confidence = cool, I guess.
A short time later, he returned with friends. Pouring on that cool, hat still on head. He escorted brother and sister to the first of magical worlds available at “Grandma’s House,” the Toy Drawer. Just one small drawer in the kitchen cabinetry, but always filled with alluring oddities. I heard Puck playing tour guide for the young lady in attendance.
“And here, you might like this princess stuff. I have no idea why it’s here. Here … I have no idea why that stuff’s in here.”
Just in case she wondered.
I guess we had run out of stuff to do, because when Francis got back from work, Mom, Carrie, and I found ourselves at Bed Bath & Beyond buying dishware for Blessing’s bridal shower next month. No offense to weddings or bridal showers or dishware, but shopping for household goods is no way to spend a Wednesday afternoon. Fortunately for myself, we move fast.
It was a quiet night with Puck asleep and El Oso working way late again. I mean, no real baseball for four days? I resorted to old clips and interviews. What’s a St. Louisan to do?
And Crackers started eating the fur hat.