Home alone with Walt.

 posted by Kevin.....

It seems that Walter and I are butting heads on several key topics today.

Mostly animals....and shoes.

(editor's note:  not to be confused with "elephant shoes" which is a silly phrase people mouth to one another because it looks like "I love you".  You know, so they can trick you into thinking they love you. People can be so......never mind.)

Walter was proudly naming all the animals in his At The Zoo book for me. We get past the "GO-rla" "ZU-bra" and then he says "RAH-na-na".  


I say, "RAH-na-na".  


He yells "NO! RAH-Na-Na"!  


I say, "RAH-na-na?"  


He reiterates, "NO Da da!" 


(we go back and forth a few times) 


Then I say, "Well I guess I don't get it."  


He says, "A-huh". He closes the book slowly in obvious disgust.


A few minutes later, Walter walked over to me and pointed at my shoes. 


"Da da, no shoes." he says.


"Should I take off my shoes?" I ask.


"NO.  Those are MY shoes."  he says with remarkable clarity.   


I am impressed by his use of a full sentence to convey an observation that is clearly delusional and a bit confrontational, but none the less clearly expressed.


"Whose shoes are they?" I said with a pretentious smirk.  


There was a subtle shift in his tone.


"NO DA DA!  Those are MY SHOES!  GRRRRRR!!!"


I had precious little time to process a careful response, as I was sure a "throw down" was about to occur.  


"How about I take my shoes off?" I said, feeling smug about slipping in the "my shoes" as I caved in to a two year.


"UH-huh."  he said.  He turned and walked away. 


The silence was awkward.