A Stream of Consciousness

Setting: riding in the car on the way home from school. (Oh, how I LOVE your car ride conversations!)

Characters: Meg & Mommy (Kate, too -- but she's not quite adding to our conversations just yet)

Meg: Mommy . . . when you were a little girl, did you go to school like me?

Mommy: I did.

Meg: Who took you? Who drove you in the car to preschool?

Mommy: Nana Nancy did. She drove me in the car just like I drive you.

Meg: Nana Nancy? Before she went Heaven?

Mommy: Yep. She did.

Meg: Well . . . will we ever see her again?

Mommy: No, not right now, Meg. Nana Nancy is in Heaven . . . and a long, long. long time from now, you will see her again. After you grow up and get married and have babies and after your babies grow up and get married and have THEIR own babies. In a long, long time, you will get to see Nana Nancy again in Heaven.

Meg: Oh. (pause for a moment of silent reflection) Mommy, I'm going to wear very pretty dress when I get married.

Mommy: Oh YES you will! I know you will. It will be beautiful. I can't wait.

Meg: (nods and smiles excitedly) Yeah, when I grow up.

Mommy: Who do you think you will marry?

Meg: Daddy.

Mommy: (laughing) YOU can't marry Daddy! I already married Daddy!

Meg: But I'm going to marry him, too. We can both be married to him. We can share him.

Mommy: No, no. That won't work because he's to old for you. You will want to marry someone the same age as you. Daddy is the same age as me, so we can be married. You'll want to marry someone the same age as you.

Meg: Oh.

Mommy: Do you know any little boys your age that you would want to marry when you grow up? Any boys in your preschool class?

Meg: Will. And Westray. And Jack. They are all boys my age in my class. I can marry them.

Mommy: Well, you have to pick ONE boy to marry. Just one. Which one do you think you might pick?

Meg: Ummm . . . Jack. I pick Jack. Captain Jack Sparrow. In my class.

Mommy: (roaring laughter) Jack Sparrow!? In your class? I know Jack in your class . . . who calls him Jack Sparrow? Where did you hear that?

Meg: He calls himself that, Mommy.

Mommy: (with a sign and a chuckle) Okay, Meg.