How do you tell a fish that it’s wet?
Boy: Add that, add that! (points)
Me: Which song?
Him: I’m a Believer. Oh, click the “Remastered” one.
The boy’s been home for a few weeks now and we’ve kinda gotten into a rhythm, although it still leaves a good deal to be desired.
On thing that I realize as a parent is just how different his life will be from mine, growing up.
I had the most random thought today when we were listening to Spotify; he asked me to put on I’m a Believer, which made me think of the Monkees, which made me think of Liquid Paper.
See, Liquid Paper was invented by Bette Nesmith Graham, the mother of Monkee, Michael Nesmith.
Now, for those of you too young to know what I’m talking about, Liquid paper was essentially a small bottle of white paint – legit – that you used to paint over a mistake you made while typing something.
As I write this out, I realize how crazy that must sound to the Twitter generation but there you go.
And that’s kinda the point of this entry: How to even begin to explain things to people that need a ton of background information to even start to understand?
I mentioned this to a buddy the other day.
Me: It’s like trying to explain to a fish that it’s wet.
Him: What do you mean?
Me: Think about what that would be like. You have to first explain the existence of water – because he has no clue such a thing exists, it’s like explaining oxygen to a caveman – then you have to explain dryness, land, the earth, it goes on…
Here, I’d have to explain paint, typewriters, ink, letters, etc – all before I got to Liquid Paper.
Which brings me to a final point. I, stupidly, got into an online argument with a Trump supporter from my old church right when Trump got elected.
He was a nice enough fella but his ignorance was so profound that I found myself defriending him because I couldn’t figure out where to even begin explaining how little he understood about the nature of the world.
And now that Trump’s finally leaving office, I find myself sheepishly relieved that I don’t have to face the jaw-dropping stupidity and malice I had to deal with on a daily basis for the past four years.
I just have to explain to the kid how the world works.
Which I’m not even sure I can.
Him: Why did John Lennon die?
Me: Someone killed him.
Him: Why?
Me: I don’t know.
Him: Why did mommy die?
Me: I don’t know that either. There are some things, we can’t know.
Him: Why not?
Me: Let’s have lunch. Grilled cheese?
Him: Yes!
Me: Done.
Location: home, grilling up a cheese sandwich and trying to understand
Mood: unsettled
Music: I couldn’t leave her if I tried (Spotify)
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