I'm no authority

I’m not sure I like being the authority on things.

Lately I find myself defining things I’d rather not. Naveen is full of questions all the time. Like last week he asked, “Mommy what does “part” mean?”

Huh?? Really? I wanted to ask. Right now? While I’m trying to hurry your brother into the school to sign him in so I can get you to the daycare and get to work? After I had to bargain with chocolate to get your shoes on? I have to now define the word “part” to a three year old with no other context?

It’s part of the parenting gig, I know.

And I enjoy it most of the time. I really do. But last week when I caught wind of Deaglan humming to himself I was sorry I asked what he was singing.

“Heyyyyyyyy,sexy lady!”he repeated louder, zooming Lightning McQueen up a couch cushion ramp. Then as if it was the most natural thing in the world, “Heyyyyyyy sexy Mommmmy!”

Gulp.

“You know what honey? Sexy is an adult word. Let’s not say that word.”

“That’s the song Sara plays for us at school in the program (the after-school program). Why can’t we say it? What does it mean?”

“Well, it’s just a word adults sometimes use to describe each other.”

Naveen suddenly interested: “Heyyyy sexwee Mommmy!!!, hahahaha.”

I was thinking about this on the drive this morning when Tom Power told the story about a time when he ducked into the Ship Inn Pub, in St. John’s Newfoundland for a pint and found the patrons eerily quiet, eyes fixed on the stage. He said when he scanned the bar he noticed that almost every person was mouthing the words to the song the band up front was singing.

The band was the Skydiggers. They were singing Fire engine (Red explosion). He then played the song.

A small thrill ran through me. I love the Skydiggers. I first saw them at the pub at Brock University in my second year and instantly became a fan. I had their album Restless within arm’s reach for the next 15 years.

To this day, track 12 still slays me every time I hear it.

Maybe when they’re old enough I’ll explain to the boys that that song is the definition of sexy. Come to think of it, by that point they probably won't want to hear me say the word sexy.

Totally unrelated but if you have two minutes watch this video I got of Naveen at bedtime tonight. He's explaining why he's angry at Deaglan. He has a lot to say on almost everything all the time these days.