This is What I Think
My seven year-old enlightened me on population explosion during the drive to church this morning.
“There are billions upon quadrillions upon decades of people on this Erf, right, Mom?”
“Well, you sort of have the right idea…”
“It’s sort of like a dome filled with people. And when the dome hits its limit, it explodes. Sort of like a bug explodes under too much pressure.”
“So … what happens to the humans?”
“No more humans, they just disappear into nothingness. Into black holes or somethin’.” He said this with the same casualness of buying milk and eggs.
“Black holes, huh?”
But then he switched streams on me a little. “The foundation of the world is unstable. Scientists talk about the power of tectonic plates. … I’m sure it won’t collapse for many, many decades.”
With Mom and Dad still in Branson and El Oso on retreat, we formed the usual Snicketts huddle in the sanctuary at church that morning, followed by the luncheon table. Mixed in with some Silverspoons.
Afterwards, Puck – who I heard talking with a buddy about Darth Maul at lunch; didn’t know he even knew who Darth Maul is – was followed by an entourage of Sunday School kids outside to show off his rainbow kickball. Boys and girls oohed and aahed.
“See it in the sunlight?” he prompted. “Isn’t it cool? Especially the yellow. Look how bright the yellow is.”
The afternoon was a little more balmy at the Big House. Carrie and I had important projects going, Joe and Jaya dropped off a bike someplace before a jog in the neighborhood, Rose fed the Pi’s three cats while they were in Colorado buying a car, Francis worked on his truck (last time I looked, one of the tires was off), Linnea-Irish joined a friend for projects at Vanbuskirk’s, and Puck watched “Mulan” before joining neighbor friends in the street for some kickball.
We split up some sandwiches for dinner. Joe and Jaya followed Rose out for their own dinner and a movie night. Puck thumped the rainbow kickball off the roof of the house.
One more spend-the-night at the Big House where Carrie-Bri and I caught the last few sad innings of David, Albert, and the Angels being swept by the Royals in Kansas City.
It’s the play-offs. They’re strange and unexpected and expected and exciting and often depressing.