If You Give Judah A Piece of Paper…

he’ll make a stop sign. S T O P, he’ll write. And then he’ll color it red.

After he’s done he’ll realize he needs a stick so he can hold it. So he’ll ask to have a popsicle. You’ll tell him that he’s already had dessert. But then he’ll tell you that it’s for a school project and he really really really needs it. So you’ll get him a popsicle. It will be grape and it will be delicious. He’ll slurp slurp slurp until it’s all gone and there’s just the stick. He’ll ask you to wash it so it won’t be sticky. So you’ll wash it and give it back.

“Now it has to dry,” he’ll say.

And that will remind him of Big Bird who was just at school. Big Bird didn’t like staying in Judah’s locker. But she had the best time when she got to come out and see all Judah’s friends from class. However, after school on the way from the car to the house, she fell down in the garage and got dirty. So she had to be cleaned which meant she got wet. And super super dizzy because of the washing machine going round and round and round. But that was earlier and now she’s probably dry. And not so dizzy. So Judah will go upstairs to get her. And Big Bird will be dry and clean and smell like the sea.

“Why does Big Bird smell like the sea?” Judah will ask.

“Because of the new detergent,” you’ll tell him.

“Oh,” Judah will say.

Big Bird smelling like the sea will remind him of the shells on his dresser. Judah will go get the shells.

“Can I bring these to school,” he’ll ask.

“Why?” you’ll say.

“So we can count them,” Judah will say.

“But you already brought in all those eyes,” you’ll say.

“What are you talking about,” Judah will ask.

“All those googly eyes,” you’ll say.

“Oh, yeah,” Judah will say.

And that will remind him of school. So he’ll look at you and ask if the popsicle stick is dry yet. You’ll tell him it’s still a little wet. He’ll remind you that it’s for a school project.

This will make you scratch your chin and say, “So, what exactly IS this school project?”

Judah will explain that he’s the Star Student of the Week and that he wants to bring in a stop sign to show everyone.

You’ll say, “Uhhhh, I don’t think that was in the directions.”

But then Judah will say, “But it will be so cool!”

And then his sister Nola, who happens to be right there, will say, “It would be pretty cool, Dad.”

So you’ll tell him that maybe when they all go in Thursday morning, they can bring in his real stop sign for a special show-n-tell and then bring it home right after so it doesn’t get in the way or make everyone STOP all the time.

Judah will think about it for a second and then he’ll say, “Ok.”

And chance are, if Judah brings his real stop sign to school on Thursday morning, he’ll probably hold it up and say, “Hey, check out my stop sign!”