May 27, 2013

How To Board An Airplane

I never imagined I'd be teaching Garrett how to board an airplane before his 3rd birthday.

Nathan recently made his annual work-related trip to Birmingham, Alabama, or "Alabamba", as Garrett calls it.  The following conversation took place between Garrett and me on our 3-minute commute home from Ducky Day Care one evening last week:

"Where's my Alabamba?"

"Alabama?  That's where Daddy went for work a few weeks ago.  Remember?  It's so far away that he had to ride in an airplane to get there.  Would you like to ride in an airplane some day?"

"No."

"Why not, Buddy?"

"...because I climb the tree...climb on the cloud...up on the airplane...and I slip!"

I saw in the rear view mirror that he was gesturing with his hands as he spoke.  Oh, how I wish I had a recording of this conversation!

"Buddy, that's not how you get on an airplane.  You get in while it's on the ground, and then, after everybody gets buckled in, the pilot drives really fast down the runway, and then the plane goes up in the air."

I think Garrett accepted my explanation, but when Nathan, after hearing about our conversation, asked him if he wanted to ride in an airplane, his answer was still "No." Then Nathan, in his Daddy wisdom, told Garrett that, as long as he's Superman, he doesn't even need an airplane.