Funny But Oh So Very Wrong
Sometimes I wonder why I have sacrificed a successful career to work part-time to stay home two days a week with my children. And then I have the following gem of a conversation with Thomas over our morning snack:
Thomas: “Is D’artganan* bones yet?”
Me: “I don’t know. He’s probably getting there.”
Thomas: “Should we give him to the tar pits museum or to the Natural History Museum?”
Me: “What…?”
Thomas: “You know. After we dig up his bones and put them back together…should we give him to the tar pits museum or to the Natural History museum?” He pauses for a moment, contemplative and oblivious to my stunned silence and continues, “I think the Natural History museum, because house cats aren’t extinct yet.”
Me: “That’s very good reasoning, but I have to be honest with you. I don’t think the Natural History Museum will want him. House cats are very common. They probably aren’t interested.”
Thomas, now frowning: “Well then I guess we could put him in the front yard or in my room…”
Me: “Thomas. We’re not going to dig up D’artagnan and assemble him in the house. Once pets and people** are dead they stay buried.”
Thomas, looking at me skeptically: “I’ll ask Daddy.”
It might have been a macabre conversation, but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. And the truth be told, having his skeleton re-assembled and admired as a fine specimen of house cat would have suited D’artagnan. He did think quite highly of himself.
*Our very loved, very deceased cat who is buried six feet under in our backyard.
**I threw that one in there knowing that he would start planning to put me on display if I didn’t mention that people are also off limits.
April 23rd, 2010 at 6:26 am
So what did Daddy say?
April 23rd, 2010 at 10:13 am
Daddy was far more horrified than I was. I have to admit that a little part of me thought it would be pretty interesting to have a cat skeleton to use as a teaching too. Thomas is very interested in anatomy.
April 23rd, 2010 at 10:24 am
I think you would have to clean the bones before you could reassemble… I’m sure you could google that!
April 23rd, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Yike’s, Well he is a smart one and always is asking great questions. Gald humans were off limits, not sure you would want mom and I hanging out in your living room.
What was the look on Jeff’s face as thomas tried to play you and Jeff off on each other, I can remember when you, Tony and sweet Sara Ann would try the same ploy if you did not like one of our answers.
I think mom and I will be in little tea pots you can put on a the mantle some day or toy train cars.
How weird is this thread.
April 24th, 2010 at 12:05 am
The only reason I can think why you would sacrifice a successful career to work part-time to stay home two days a week with your children is, instead of using your life to build a business you rather use your life to prepare the lives of the next generation of people – to help make it a better world.
April 24th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Hey… I think it would be really cool to have a skeleton in the house. Great teaching tool. D’artanian would be proud. Make sure the tail is up and the head held high.
April 24th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I like the idea of the skeleton assembly. I could borrow it from Thomas for my class. But would recommend you wait a lot longer…..dermestid nestles are sometimes used to clean bones of hair & flesh. Tell Thomas Grand Dad Mike thinks it’s a great idea.
April 26th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
And, fyi, there will bee a local blogger get together on May 8th!