I have written in this space before about some of the things kids have said to me at book-readings that amazed me—notably their aspirations for their adult futures. Yesterday I was exposed to another rib-tickling round of “When I grow up.”I had read Troubadour, Jester, or Page to the kids at an after-school program. The book deals with the career options open to kids in the Middle Ages—troubadour, trobairitz, jester, jongleur, or page, or following in their fathers’ footsteps. Naturally, when I had finished reading and began my Q&A session, instead of questions the kids all wanted to tell me their aspirations for future careers.
Many of them have multiple careers in mind. “I want to be a doctor and a dentist and a policeman and a ballerina” was a typical answer. One boy wanted to grow up to be Superman. But I was caught off-guard by the girl who said she wanted to be a police dog. Yes, dog. Not police officer. Police dog. And yes, I’m sure I heard her correctly. Continuing the trans-species them, another girl proclaimed that she wanted to grow up to be a butterfly! She even told me what colors her wings would be. And then, less preposterous but equally impossible, there was the boy who said he wanted to grow up to be my uncle. (This was not the same boy who, on a previous occasion, proclaimed he wanted to grow up to be my brother.)
One girl said she wanted to be a writer like me. That was gratifying.
As the litany of aspirations wound down, I prepared to make my escape, explaining that I had to go home and make dinner. That led to a fresh round of questions, this time about whom I live with and was cooking for. One girl asked me if I had any children. I believe in giving straight answers, unless an answer would be totally beyond the child’s comprehension, so I said, “Well, I had a daughter, but she grew up and then later she died.”
One little girl—not the one who had asked if I had any kids—responded to that by asking, “Where is she now?”
“In heaven” was my answer.
Incomprehensibly, a little boy asked, “Is she in Mexico?”
Darned if I can figure out why he thinks heaven is in Mexico (or Mexico is in heaven). He certainly doesn’t come from a Mexican family. He’s purely African American.
As always the kids amazed me with some of the things they said.
I wonder what outrageous statements they’ll come up with the next time I read to them.