This afternoon Iyyar asked me to read him Tikki Tikki Tembo. I think this book appeals to him as the second son. Anyway, the very last page has a picture of the mother, who has seen the error of her favoritist ways, sitting with Chang in her lap as Tikki Tikki Tembo recovers from his unfortunate dip in the well. Iyyar studied this picture and then asked, "How come there's only one bed?"
Me: "I think they're very poor. Probably they only have one bed."
Iyyar: "Why doesn't the mother write more speeches? She should write more speeches. Then they could have more money and buy another bed."
Me: "Iyyar, do you think most mothers write speeches at night?"
Iyyar: (blankly) "They do. Mothers write speeches at night to earn money."
Pause. "Most mothers do."
In other news, I bought three and a half kilos of cherries at the shuk on Friday. They are all gone now, as is the entire kilo of cherry tomatoes and a shocking quantity of nectarines. Strangely, there was a lot of competition for the bathroom this evening. Can't imagine why.
2 comments:
Tell him he knows at least one mother who does not and never has written speeches at night. He has a special mother.
Lots of cherry and berry eating here, too. But no tomatoes yet.
How will he cope when he finds out none of his friends' mothers write speeches at night?! That'll shake up his world.
Must go find cherries. They're ridiculously expensive at Ralph's and it's been to warm for me to walk to Chinatown or Grand Central Market.
~ Jasmin
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