1 Mother 2 Another

As Maddie and I walked home from school
the other day, we chatted about what she’d done during school
time. I knew it was library day for her, so I asked what books she
checked out for the week. “I checked out three true books
about fish,” she replied.


What?


“That’s an interesting topic,” I said cautiously.
“What made you want to check out three different books about
fish?”


Maddie skipped along. “Because I plan on reading up on lots
of interesting facts about fish, and then using them to convince
you to let me have a fish for a pet.”


Wow. Don’t know whether to be proud or scared of her
long-term scheming.


“Well, a girl can always try, and I’ll always listen to
a well-reasoned argument,” I said equably. “But what
makes you want a fish so much suddenly?”


“Because I think they’re cool to watch and,” she
continued nonchalantly, “Elise has fish and her kittens are
always trying to eat them and I think it would be funny to watch my
cat try to get the fish out of the fishbowl.”


Ah. At least she’s honest.