Loverboy

A reprint from my "other blog"

My son is smitten.

The object of his affection is another four-year-old classmate by the name of Sarahpatterson. It is all one word when he says it, like she is Madonna, or Cher.

"Dad," Matthew says out of the clear blue one day, "You've just GOTTA meet Sarahpatterson."

"Sarahpatterson?" says Dad. "Who's she?"

There is a long pause during which my son is obviously contemplating a vision in his memory.

"A girl," he finally says with a sigh, "In a pink shirt."

I guess that's all that needs to be said.

The object of his affection is certainly a beauty. A cute little blonde thing with boatloads of personality. I'm sure my son's lovesickness was brought on by her obvious charm. And I know my youngest son. He wants very much to please. And now he has decided WHO he wants to please.

The teachers at nursery school tell me he follows her around like a lost puppy, fetching things for her, making sure that she has everything she might want or need.

"I gotta get that girl to tell me how she does it," her Mom emailed me, "I want to know if it will work on her father."

I doubt it. Most men stop indulging us once they hit double digits. Unless they want something.

Now that he is besotten, I fear that this will take away from his studies. How will he concentrate during show and tell? Open his juice box? Properly complete Finger Painting 101? This may set him back for months!

I was quizzing him one day about the pictures and letters at school. I'm so proud of how smart he is. He remembers that A starts the word apple and D starts the word duck. "T is turtle," he says.

"What's S?" I ask.

"Sarahpatterson."

I sigh. "And what was she wearing today?"

He looks up and scans his brain, "A blue dress."

Now THAT he remembers.

"Sarahpatterson should come up to the cottage," Matthew announced one day. "We have lots of rooms, but she can sleep with me."

Ah the innocence of the Pre-K set! He'd probably let her share his stuffed animals and hog all the blankets.

I can't take it anymore! Matthew, please stay little! Be that sweet little long-lashed, brown-eyed bugger who still believes that you can just adore someone...and everything stays as simple as which bed you sleep in.

And Sarahpatterson, please don't break my little guy's heart!