Listening Moments

Several years ago when our oldest grandchildren, Harris and Catherine, were about seven and four years old, I was privy to an entertaining conversation between them in the backseat of my car.  I had just picked them up for a few days' visit and our first stop had been the roller skating rink in a nearby town, where we met two young cousins for some reunion and fun.  

 After a couple of hours of zipping and gliding and tumbling around the floor, I was relieved to get out of there with no broken bones and also eager to  head home and settle in for their visit.  On the way out of the skating establishment, I bought their choice of freeze-pop, thinking this would cool them down and "occupy" them for the ride home.  Harris chose red and Catherine green for their little icy treats.

Barely buckled into their seats and with freeze-pops in hand, they immediately started a conversation that went something like the following.  I adjusted the rear view mirror to enable a periodic glance at their body language.

H:  (slurping) Mine's strawberry!  Catherine, what's yours?

C:  (in her most delicate princess voice) Mine's keee-wee! 

H:  Ooh, kiwi!  I've never had kiwi!  Can I have a taste?

C: (firmly) No.

H:  Aw, come on, Catherine!  Just a taste!

C:  No, Harris.

H:  I'll give you a taste of mine!

C:  No, Harris.  It has my germs!

H:  (mouth open in disbelief) What!  What about the other night when you wanted some of my drink?  Germs didn't matter then!  Just let me have one little taste, Catherine!

C:  No.

H: (after a brief interval) Catherine, I just want to see what it tastes like before you finish it.  Come on.

C:  Harris, the germs - I told you it has my germs!

H:  Catherine!  We are brother and sister!  We have the same germs!

That's where I burst out laughing and silently congratulated myself on letting the conversation flow without interrupting or trying to mediate.  Catherine remained firm in her refusal to let Harris taste her green-colored and supposedly kiwi-flavored ice that was, if anything, lime - but more likely tinted sugar water.  For my part, there had been no desire or intention to intervene, as long as they respected each other's space and stance, which they did.  Their interaction was confined to conversation.  My role was confined to listening - and being entertained.

In the years since, our younger grandchildren, Scarlett and Elsa, (who may have similar germs) have asked for a re-telling of this incident over and over again.  If I had done anything more than listen to the freeze-pop conversation, there would have been no story to tell.