As we’re in the bathroom getting ready for bed, Craig is brushing his teeth. When he spits out the toothpaste, he aims it at a mysterious black spot on the sink bowl, left there by the kids. The black spot remains unmoved.
Me: Hahahahaha!
Craig: You liked that?
Me: Yeah, I like how you thought you were helping.
Craig: Just doing my part with the housework.
Me (rolling my eyes and leaving the bathroom): Yes. I know.
Craig (calling after me as he closes the door): Now I’m going to clean the toilet!
Our family attends a Quaker meeting where two of the members are a husband and wife whose last name is Nail. One morning, the Nails stood up and made an announcement. In the car on the way home, our children were riding in the back (with Will sitting directly behind Craig) while Craig and I made chit-chat.
I feel sick to my stomach, have been rocking back and forth, since hearing the news about Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. The first female prime minister in the Muslim world, a woman trying to transform the world, a mother. I feel like Pakistan just lost their Bobby Kennedy. I’m in shock.
Will: Mama, I’m your friend forever. I’m your friend all the way to the United States, to the galaxies. I’m your friend to the future!
Me: Wow, that’s a lot.
Will: I’m your friend even after I’m dead. I hope I get buried next to you. I can dig a hole and we can hold hands.
Me: …
Will: Unless I dig a bigger hole, and I crawl into your part.
Me: …
Will: UNLESS! I dig a hole and get out!
****LATER (AFTER I TELL CRAIG THIS STORY)***
Craig: I’m not so much about the digging a hole, about getting buried. I’d like to have my ashes scattered across the Deschutes, over my favorite fishing hole.
Me: So what’s going to happen to me?
Craig (helpfully): You could learn to fish.
Me: Maybe they could just scatter my ashes over a library.
Oh, man! I just saw the best movie I’ve seen in years. Seriously. Reverend Billy is AWESOME! Go see this movie if it is humanly possible. I AM NOT KIDDING. Boy howdy, would I love to buy him and his wife a cup of non-Starbucks coffee. As seen in Newsweek. I heard that Reverend Billy will also be on Dateline this week (check your local listings). Check out this page, and watch for updates, to see if What Would Jesus Buy? is, or will be, playing near you.
In this month’s Zen, I explore the thought-provoking nature of this year’s Halloween.
The day Eugenia and I bought her witch dress, black hat, green make-up and warty costume nose, she announced to the cashier: “I’m going to be a wicked witch!” Then she thought about it a moment. “No,” she reconsidered. “I’m going to be a good witch.” Luckily, it isn’t either/or. She’ll be both in her lifetime, just like me.
