Daily Free-Write September 16, 2020

Hey, little one! Come on downstairs, it's time for lunch!

"Just a second, ma!" said the husky cub, playing with his monster trucks. He was making them jump over his apadosaurus and his T-Rex, to get away from the lava flow, so he didn't have time to waste. 

"Don't make me come up there, mister!"

"I said, I'm coming!!"

The lava flow rushed through, killing the dinosaurs, and wiping away the track. In a crash of plastic and metal, they all ended up on the far side of the bedroom, right by the toybox. 

He rolled around on the floor laughing a bit, and then he heard the thump, thump, thump of feet on the stairs. 

"I'm coming up there! And you'd better have all your toys put away!"

"Uh oh!" he said to himself. Thinking quick, he threw his dinosaur blanket over everything and straightened out his clothes just in time for ma to walk in. 

"What in sam hill are you- aw... look at my sweet little angel. Such a good little-" she whipped the blanket away, "angel. You're going to be cleaning that up After you finish your grilled cheese! Now hup to! Before I tan that hide of yours darker than my boots!" 

"Yes ma! Going, ma!" said the cub, running out the door. 

Ma just shook her head. Such a rambunctious and energetic boy. Nothing like the person he used to be... better than who he used to be.

Downstairs, he sat at the table waiting for ma to serve up his grill cheese.

"Here ya go, hon." she said, setting down the grill cheese on his favorite dino-theme plate. She put down his sippy cup right next to it.

"Aww, ma! Do I have to use a sippy cup again?"

"Well you'd be able to use a regular glass if you drank more slowly and didn't keep spilling your juice! Now drink up!"

But he was already doing just that. In no time at all he gobbled up his lunch.

"Okay, ma, by ma, gotta go save the dinos!"

"Ah, ah, ah, Mr. Hold on. Have you washed your paws? No? Well go wash up in the kitchen sink. ...And then we need to have a little talk."

The cub looked concerned.

"What about?" he asked, cocking his head.

"Wash first, questions later." Ma replied, smacking the little husky's butt to scoot him along. 

"Sweetie, sit down for a second," she said, after he was all cleaned up. "Sweetie?"

"Hm?" he said, fidgeting in his seat and looking around.

"Pay attention!" she said, in a firm tone. 

He looked at her. 

"What is it ma?"

"Honey, how old are you?"

He tried to count on his fingers, got confused, and started again. He screwed up his face.

"Umm...seven! Yeah, I'm seven. I think."

"No, honey... how old are you really?"

He frowned. He fidgeted in his seat. After a few moments of tense silence he responded.

"I don't want to think about that, Ma. Can't we calk about something else?" 

"No, sweetie. This is important. How old are you?"

He sat there for a second. His head dropped down. He lifted it back up and looked at her with different eyes. Sharper. Observant.

"I'm twenty-seven, ma."