The Conceit of Childhood

One of my favourite overheard things lately happened in Point Roberts last weekend. The girls were jumping on the trampoline (as they do and do and do). We have some neighbours who live kitty corner behind us who also have a trampoline. Instead of little girls bouncing on their tramp, they have teenage boys trying to injure themselves and each other. It appears to be a big difference.

In any case, at one point normally shy-ish Molly decided it was time to meet the neighbours. As though on a mission, she hopped off the trampoline, bee-lined to the back corner of the lot and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Hey you neighbour boys!"

Cue me, turning around, shocked at my daughter shouting at the slightly scary teenage boys. She wasn't done.

"Hey, are you wondering who we are?"

Cue me, wondering what the heck she's going to say. I mean, I don't know how to answer that.

"We're Molly and Finny!"

As if that explained absolutely everything. All they could possibly need to know.

The world in her eyes is still small. Filled with people who know both her and her sister. On a first name basis.

When those big boys didn't answer her (in fact, a strange, very still silence reigned over there while the pint-sized girl screeched at them), she shrugged as if to say, "I give up" and then turned on her heel and marched away. Back to the trampoline.

I guess it was just in case they were wondering.


And in case you were wondering (and I doubt you were) who they are, here are some questions I asked the girls tonight. I found this (edited) list of questions on Belgian Waffle, a blog I read. Some of them are funny. Some are not funny at all (you will see what I mean).


1. What is something mummy always says to you?
Molly: I love you.
Finny: I love you.

2. What makes mummy happy?
Molly: Me hugging her.
Finny: When I listen when she says socks and shoes on…and then I do it.

3. What makes mummy sad?
Molly: Having to do work and not seeing us.
Finny: When I don’t listen.

4. How does your mummy make you laugh?
Molly: Tickles me.
Finny: She doesn’t. Not usually. When she scares me. When I am in the bathroom and she comes in to surprise me…it scares me in a nice way.

5. What did your mummy like to do when she was a child?
Molly: Play with her friends.
Finny: Play with her little brother

6. How old is your mummy? (Oh My God)
Molly: I don’t know. 40? (I didn’t think it could get worse than this)
Finny: I don’t know…how old are you? 65? (It could)

7. How tall is your mummy ?
Molly: I don’t know. Can I measure you? Do I have to count?
Finny: This high (about two inches taller than her)

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
Molly: Arthur.
Finny: Oprah.

9. What does your mummy do when you’re not around?
Molly: Go to Sandy’s.
Finny: I don’t know because I am not around.

10. If your mummy becomes famous, what will it be for?
Molly: Writing books.
Finny: Drawing. (???)

11. What is your mummy really good at?
Molly: Writing books.
Finny: Helping me.

12. What is your mummy not very good at?
Molly: Nothing.
Finny: Taking care of plants.

13. If your mummy were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Molly: D.W.
Finny: You. But a cartoon.

14. How do you know your mummy loves you?
Molly: Because she hugs me a lot and I love her too.
Finny: Because she always says I love you.

15. What does your mummy like most about your daddy?
Molly: He’s him.
Finny: You played with him when he was a little boy.

16. Where is your mummy ’s favorite place to go?
Molly: Bubble tea.
Finny: With us everywhere.

17. What’s your favorite TV show?
Molly: I really like Arthur
Finny: I have two. Mine favourite on Treehouse is Max and Ruby and on the other, Arthur. That’s my most favourite. Oh, and Maggie and the Ferocious Beast. That’s three.

18. What is your favorite knock knock joke.
Molly: The banana one.
Finny: Daddy has to have Hollandaise.

19. What do you want for your birthday?
Molly: A machine that makes me a baby again.
Finny: I don’t know yet.

20. If you could have one wish, what would you wish for?
Molly: A camper we can camp in with beds and stuff.
Finny: For my mumma to stay alive forever.

21. Something Daddy did that he wasn’t supposed to?
Molly: Go through private roads.
Finny: I don’t know. That’s hard to know because daddy does a lot of stuff right.

22. If a genie could make you beautiful, smart or famous, what would you choose?
Molly: I would choose to be me.
Finny: Smart and beautiful. Well, I would be me even if I was smart and beautiful. I still would be me.