Friday, February 27, 2009

Comic Relief of Life

I’m cleaning this morning. Every time I march outside with more garbage or recycling, the dog greets me with his ball in his mouth as I come back in. It’s clear from his prancing around and his ears up that he REALLY wants Mama to go outside and play with him….... now!

Hank provides a lot of comic relief in our house. As I reflected on that, I remembered some other moments of comic relief, canine and non-canine. It’s moments like these that bring a smile to your lips when the rest of life seems to be a bit too thick for comfort.

+++++++++++++++++

Hank on the back steps, excitedly anticipating a ride in the car with us:

Catherine: “Sorry, pup, but you cannot go this time.”

Hank looks straight at me for a long moment, heaves an ENORMOUS sigh, turns around and walks back into the house.

Question: Does our dog understand English?

+++++++++++++++++

Heard while riding in the car with a 16 year old who was clearly daydreaming:

Tim: “What do you think, Darren, should we stop and get some lunch?”

A moment of silence, and then, from the back seat: “What do you mean?”

+++++++++++++++++

A discussion about a morning’s proposed activity:

Catherine: I really feel underwhelmed about that

Doug (all of 5 years old): We can get you whelmed up, Catherine!

(I still marvel that his 5-year old mind got the sentence sense exactly right, even though there is no such phrase as “whelmed up.”)

++++++++++++
In the car, passing the gargantuan picture window of a very busy, very fancy, and very well-lit restaurant one night:

Catherine: Wow!

Abbi (all of 4 years old): Look at all those people DINING!

+++++++++++++++
And the most recent was this one, when I came home from a long business trip:

Catherine: “The floors are actually crunchy underfoot. Couldn’t you have vacuumed once while I was away?”

Tim: “I didn’t bring the dirt in, the dog did.”

(I confess, at the time I didn’t think this was funny, but the more I consider Tim’s completely serious answer, the funnier it gets.)

+++++++++++++++++

3 comments:

Katie said...

That reminds me of Tyler! He says "plug it out" instead of unplug it: pretty smart when you consider we say "plug it in"! He just knows that's the opposite!

Nostalgic for the Pleistocene said...

*LOL!*

Regarding the animals when they seem to understand English - we have a theory that they all do, but have an agreement among themselves to hide it from us doltish humans. But that they sometimes slip up and let it show!

Christy Duffy said...

I love the dirt comment! And the "DINING" one is so cute, too.