Monday, April 7, 2008

Smarter Than I

They're far smarter than I, Lex and Gentry are.

I kept them Saturday morning while Shawna went for breakfast with some women from church. I told them I'd take them out, but that they had to clean their rooms first. Gentry made quick time of his; Lex, on the other hand, couldn't focus long enough to get anything accomplished.

When Gentry had finished cleaning, he grabbed a toy car that someone had given him, and began trying to remove it from the plastic packaging. He was having no luck (and was beginning to get a little frustrated). He finally asked his sister for help.

"You clean my room," she said, "and I'll get your toy out."

"OK," he said.

"Go get me the scissors."

He ran and got the scissors, and then happily set to work cleaning her room for her.

She observed for just a moment, then turned and brought me the package and scissors to open.

"Daddy, can you open this for Bubba?" she asked.

I did. She ran back into her room, tossed the open car and the scissors down at Gentry's feet, and sat down to do something enjoyable as her brother continued to clean her room.

There, my friends, is a future entrepreneur. She's a natural-hands down.

A bit later, we met Shawna in town. She took Lex, and Bub's rode with me as we drove across town to a store she wanted to visit.

He was sitting in the back seat in his car seat eating a lollipop. I was listening to the radio.

"Daddy?" he yelled.

I turned down the radio, "What's up Bub," I asked.

He pulled the lollipop from his mouth. "What does wallpapuh taste like?" he asked.

I didn't know what to say. "What?" I asked.

"What does wallpapuh taste like?" he repeated.

"Um...I have no idea, Bubs. Why do you ask?"

"'Cuz this suckuh tastes like wallpapuh. Letsis said."

"Oh. How does SHE know what wallpaper tastes like?" I asked.

He stared at me for a second. "'Cuz she ated one of these suckah's," he said.

"And she said it tastes like wallpaper."

"Yes," matter-of-factly.

"But how does she know what the wallpaper tastes like?"

"Because she ated one of these suckahs, and THEY taste like wallpapuh!" he said, a little exasperated.

"OK, Bubs; I understand. But how does she know what wallpaper tastes like in the first place in order to compare them?" I asked, trying patiently to get him to understand.

"BECAUSE...SHE...ATE...ONE...OF...THE...SUCKAHS...THAT...TASTE...LIKE...WALLPAPUH! THAT'S how she knows!"

I wasn't quite sure what to say. In fact, I was a little confused.

"Bubs, unless the sucker is a 'Wallpaper' flavored sucker, there's no way for her to know it TASTES like wallpaper unless she's EATEN wallpaper; I don't think she has, because we don't HAVE any wallpaper. So HOW DOES SHE KNOW WHAT WALLPAPER TASTES LIKE?"

He paused for a moment. I thought maybe I'd finally got through to him.

Then he shook his head as though I were hopeless.

"Dad: Letsis is a smaht guhl. She KNOWS what tastes like wallpapuh."

And with that, the conversation was done.

I'm ashamed to say that I think he inherited the talent for "circular arguing" from his father. I've met my match.

6 comments:

Mrs. Willman said...

LOL, It looks like you will have your hands full and be kept on your toes.
Some people say that kids get their intelligence from their parents.

SheGazelle said...

Hehehe...quite innovative, that Lex...

Anonymous said...

anyone is smarter than u

Anonymous said...

Anonymous- has returned! Myndfood must not be too retarded! Huh?Cracks me up! Sooo... judgemental and RUDE! anonymously stating their obnoxious opinion, but they keep on returning! he, he!!! some people are hilarious!

Anonymous said...

Oops forgot to put my name.

Anonymous said...

PJ, I just love it. It truly put a smile on my face.

LOVE YA

RUTHIE