The Besh Moments In Life

Quick story that comes courtesy of Miss Aimee, Besh’s teacher.

Each morning the kids in his Montessori class have circle time. A few days ago they used that time to talk about all the exciting things that were taking place in December. The children all raised their hands to contribute.

One child: “Santa comes!”

Another: “My Nana comes!”

Yet another: “We get presents!”

Besh: “I will have a NEW BABY when it’s vacation time!”

So, Besh, when you’re reading this (hopefully) in a few years–you were REALLY looking forward to your little brother. Hopefully you still feel this way.

Two stories, but more connected than you’d think.

First, after a long, difficult business trip to India, I finally made it home Saturday afternoon. Thanks to a slightly early arrival, my getting a seat in the first row of economy, and hightailing it down to the baggage claim, I managed to make it down the stairs a few seconds before Sara and Besh walked in the door. I saw them just as Besh turned his head to me. I noticed he had a large silver troy trumpet in his hand, but all I could look at was his giant grin as he started running toward me.

I’m guessing the trumpet threw him off balance, because a few steps toward me and he tripped hard. He caught the brunt of the fall with his free hand and the trumpet, but even as I was rushing toward him I saw he never lost his grin and got right back up and ran the rest of the way to me. It was just about the best hug ever.

After a hazy weekend (on my part, thanks jetlag!) we got back into our routine. Yesterday before dinner, while Besh was having some patch time (I think I’ve mentioned before he has to wear a patch every day to help strengthen one eye) he wanted to watch his Broadway video upstairs. So up we went. One of the lengthier scenes he likes to watch is a clip from Coco, a musical from 1969 starring Katharine Hepburn. The scene shows Coco (Hepburn) becoming upset when the woman she has in a way adopted shuns Coco’s life of all work and instead goes off with her soon-to-be-fiance. Coco is upset and launches into a song (well, as close to a song as Hepburn could manage).

Besh: “Daddy? Why is Coco so sad?”

Me: “Well, Coco wanted to have dinner with that girl but the girl went to have dinner with that boy.”

“Oh. That’s not why she’s sad.”

“It isn’t?”

“No.”

“Why do you think she’s sad?”

“I think she’s sad because she doesn’t have love in her heart.”

Last Friday, Sara, Besh and I went to the main post office in Austin to get Besh a passport.  It’s looking highly likely like I’ll have an extended business trip in the near future to London, one long enough to make sense to bring Besh and Sara so they can explore the UK while I’m working.

Sara had multiple conversations with Besh about how he had to be serious at the passport office, act like a big boy, etc.  So when we went in he was on his very best behavior.  He sat down at a chair at the desk with the postal employee/passport guy next to Sara, I was on the other side.

Besh (to passport guy): “Nice to meet you.”

Passport Guy: “Nice to meet you too.”

Besh stuck his hand out, Passport Guy shook it.

Besh: “You don’t have any hair.”

Sara: “Besh!”

“What?  He doesn’t have any hair.”

Now, this was true.  But we hadn’t really dealt with this kind of open and honest toddler observation before.  Fortunately, Passport Guy was nice about it.

Passport Guy: “That’s true–I shaved it all off for summer.”  (Not sure if that was true, but we’ll let him go with that)

Besh: “Oh.  You probably don’t need any shampoo.”

That covered, we went through the forms, stapled all the proper documentation, answered all the questions.  Then came the time to swear to the truth of everything we’d said.  Sara and I raised our right hands, so Besh did the same.  Passport Guy administered the Passport Oath, which I think says that as Americans we must act obnoxiously in all European countries and to always remember that everyone in the world speaks English but sometimes you have to speak it really loudly and slowly for them to understand it.

After Sara and I agreed with the oath, Besh looked at us a bit confused.

Sara: “Mommy and Daddy just told him that we were telling the truth.”  {Besh still stands with his right hand up.}  ”Do you swear to tell the truth, Besh?”

Besh: “Yes!  That man has no hair!”