Stories about one's grandkids tend to be a bloody bore. I rarely regale folks with such. Neither do I whip out a supersized accordion of kiddie pics at every turn. I don't need to do that; I have enough other ways to annoy people. But these anecdotes are about someone else's granddaughter, which I have decided is allowable. Plus, this child is just such a hoot, I must share just a few of many, many Sophia stories.
As Sophia (the child in question) was playing with a toy cell phone, my friend (this child's grandmother) tried to play along, asking "Sophia, who are you calling?" The kid rolled her eyes and said with great exasperation, "Grandma, I'm not calling anyone. I'm texting my boyfriend!"
Same Grandma was down for the count with a back injury. Her daughter and the kids came over to see how she was doing. Ever solicitous, Sophia cooed, "Oh, Grandma, is there anything I can do for you?" Jean, aka Grandma, asked for a glass of water, just to give the kid something to do. Sophia fetched it, brought it to the living room and handed it to Jean. Then striking a superhero pose, one hand on her hip, the other raised in the air, Sophia proclaimed, "My work here is done!" You could almost see her cape streaming behind her in the wind.
Sophia was four and five, respectively, in those scenes. She is now a sophisticated seven. Eating lunch at Panera (her favorite - she always orders the Greek salad and green tea), Sophia, her older brother and grandmother were discussing what movie to go see. Smurfs, the current kid flick, was quickly dismissed as too immature. "How about the Harry Potter," her brother suggested?
"Forget it," Sophia said. "My boat doesn't even leave the dock for Harry Potter."
Makes me wonder how she feels about George Clooney.
About Me
- Jan C. Snow
- Since 1984, my light commentary, Marginal Considerations, has been a feature of Weekend Radio. Moving into the 21st century (yeah, I know - a decade late and more than a dollar short), it may be time to explore the format known as "the blog." (Still on the radio, BTW.) I am the author of A Natural History of Socks, illustrated by the late Eric May, You May Already Be a Winner (and other marginal considerations) and The Nonexistence of Rutabagas, plus maybe 1K features, essays, book and arts reviews in newspapers and magazines nearly everywhere, except perhaps Kansas. I live on Lake Erie one city to the west of Cleveland with too many musical instruments, several large plants and no cats. My front door is purple. I collect dust, take up space and burn fossil fuel. I kayak, knit, hike, sing, canoe, write choral music and play hammered dulcimer, but not all at the same time. I read too much and don't write enough, but what's new?
Sophia is, as you said, a "hoot"!! Thank you for introducing her. At age 7, she might like the books on another young lady whose name is "Sophie."
ReplyDeleteThe author of these books--there are six of them I think in the series--is Dick King-Smith. He's British and wrote the book out of which was made the movie "Babe." (The one about the pig.) David Parkins illustrates the books and his art captures the spunk of Sophie.
THanks for that. I will check the local library (my second home).
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