The Mind of Mr. M

My five-year-old daughter had her first field trip of the her school career today. She was so excited, she was up early and counted every second until the doorbell rang and the mother that gives her rides arrived. I assume it was fantastic trip because she came home and told us how much fun she had riding the bus. For a child, them mentioning the last thing they did is about all you get in the heat of the moment. They have to calm down a little before you can pry into the rest of their day, at least that's been the standard around my house.

As we all sat around dinner, discussing the activities of the day. My sweet little five-year-old interrupts the conversation with, "Daddy, I have a question."

Totally prepped with fatherly wisdom and confidence I responded, "Sure, sweetie, what is it?"

Looking right into my eyes with that innocent little face, she asked, "How old do you have to be to have a boyfriend?"

Instant panic filled the room along with my mouthful of Swedish Meatballs...my hesitation in answering wasn't only due to my sheer surprise, but, my desperate need for the Heimlich Maneuver. All I could do was stare at my wife, with eyes begging to be released from this awkward moment, as both of my two older girls sat eagerly waiting to see what I would say.

Then without a moment's hesitation, my wife says, "25, you have to be 25 to have a boyfriend."

Totally oblivious to the coronary I was having in the seat next to her, my beautiful, little five-year-old says, "Ok..."

I asked her, when I went to tuck her in, why she had asked such a question and she had indicated that she heard kids on the bus talking about having boyfriends and she didn't think they were old enough. She assured me that she would inform her entire class tomorrow that none of them were old enough to talk about things like that. I said that was a great idea and then I laid there next to her until she fell asleep...