i'm quoting my 5 yr. old nephew.
we were driving home from dinner at the Unexceptional Family Restaurant, and he and his cousin/my niece were easily having the most puzzling conversation i've overheard in a long time.
(my niece was clutching her alien-man balloon which had been twisted and pumped into existence by the Balloon Lady at the restaurant. rather than bring his with, my nephew lost all interest in his own alien-man balloon right around the time the waitress delivered the wrong check, and in fact asked me to pop it for him in the parking lot. i ask you, what are aunts for??)
so as i'm driving along, nephew and niece launch into this conversation about Who They Know. he lives in akron, she lives in philadelphia. she knows a few people in chicago, he knows _everyone_ in chicago. they may not know him, but he knows them. she points out he must be lying, he takes great offense and begins to turn away from the conversation, and to ask, repeatedly, for us to be quiet. 'i just want some silence. i just want it to be silent.' over and over.
blanket over head helped cut out our chatter, and gave him some peace of mind, and in that moment i wanted it to be silent - thick, dense and true, as much as he did, even as we sang along to the tune about the crocodile, performed by the eight year old girl, in german. he gave up, and joined us during that catchy chorus.
later, hours after the kiddos said goodnight i took a walk outside with the dog. stargazed. thought about growing up in ohio. enjoyed the silence.
