The Lesson

WRITERS’ CHAPTER STORY-OF-THE-MONTH  OCTOBER 2017

THE LESSON

By Patricia Gainor

     Our usual morning routine while I was minding my toddler grandson, Sean, was to drive to Day School after breakfast for him to play with the children a half day. Sean was always cheerful on those drives, chattering away to practice his new vocabulary.

     “Blue car, Nana, green truck. Fire engine, RED, Nana. Yellow car, etc. etc.” Cute the first few days, thereafter, not so much. But, if he were quiet, I knew something was wrong. Quiet was not an adjective to describe this talkative toddler. So, we played the color game, over and over to please him.

     Late into the week, the weather turned cold and very blustery. On our way to the car parked at the top of their driveway one morning, the wind was howling. Opening the rear door to the car, lifting Sean up into his car seat, I bent half into the car and half out, trying to stuff him and his puffy snowsuit into the safety seat. A strong gust of wind slammed the car door shut against my legs, and I roared.

Seeing the alarm on his little face, I reassured Sean that all was fine; I was just startled. And, off we drove. Along the way, he was unusually silent.

     “I’m sorry, Sean if you were a little frightened by my outburst, but I’m fine now. Let’s just enjoy our ride to school.” No response.

     In a little while mutterings and mumbles came from the back seat. That sounded like, “Summa bitz, summa bitz. Then quite clearly; “Bad words, Nana, bad words”.

     A contrite Nana agreed with her scolder. Obviously, he had heard those words before, accompanied by an admonition about using, “Bad words”.