22 Comments

Your son's reasoning is sound. Anything that works is lectric. That's just basic science.

A logical mind at work. And having his potty training idiosyncrasies shared with your readership, which surely included the parents of his classmates, must have helped him develop incredible strength of character at an early age.

Expand full comment

Yes, he has gone on to do great things in his life, including imparting his wisdom to many, including his four brilliant children.

Expand full comment

magic

Expand full comment

That's the only explanation, Erin

Expand full comment

After such a precocious exchange as that, you’re lucky Ted didn’t “unplug” the toilet by disconnecting the supply line…💦

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go chronicle all the precious moments I’ve heretofore relied upon my fading memory to recall…🤔💭

Expand full comment

Was fortunate to be able to write those conversations down. Always being outsmarted, for sure.

Expand full comment

Same with grandkids…

Expand full comment

Still remember Dad talking fondly about your Roommate columns in the Enterprise, when I came back to visit. 💖

Expand full comment

Thanks, Robin.

Always liked your dad. He was a star.

Expand full comment

Well that was laugh out-loud funny. Kids say the darnedest things. Thanks much.

Expand full comment

Thanks a million, Gayna.

Kids at that age are so much fun as they try to navigate the world around them. They are a lot more complex than we give them credit for. Never a dull moment. Compete joy.

Expand full comment

Agreed! So wonderful to hear their viewpoint.

Expand full comment

You sure had a bright 4-year old. I can't help but wonder what made him so afraid of electricity at his age. Do you have another story about that? Keep the great stories coming, Bob

Expand full comment

Don't really know. Maybe I was being overprotective one day when I got a shock from shuffling my feet on a north windy day.

I've been told that I tried to stick a fork in a socket when I was four years old. Probably why my hair was curly.

Expand full comment

Remembering Ted from St. James days when my daughter was his classmate. What an inquisitive kid.

Expand full comment

Ted always had a question that was one step ahead of me.

Expand full comment

I love it when youngsters logic wins out. Glad you documented it for us. Side note: I worked for the State of California for 12 years and our toilets were electric. When the power went out they would not flush. That did not happen often but when it did it was not pleasant.

Expand full comment

I can only imagine

Expand full comment

Great story, Bob.

I was reminded this morning that I'm definitely "Grandpa" age. As I was driving down my street on the way to my morning workout, I saw a young woman with her daughter about 2 or 3 walking on the hike & bike trail in the park across the street and thought "How sweet." The little girl had on what my younger daughter liked to call a "big dress" and that brought back lots of good memories.

I have a project, that's been on temporary hold, of digitizing my collection of family photo albums, starting in 1969 and continuing into the 2000s, when we switched to digital cameras. Those old photos tend to serve the same purpose of the conversations you wrote down. Each of us using whatever abilities God gave us to preserve some things from the past.

Incidentally, I need to kick that project back into action: I've made it to 1982 so far (Vol. XIX) and there are almost as many volumes still to go.

Expand full comment

Would absolutely love to see some of those old photos, John.

Expand full comment

What a sweet conversation with your clever son.💦

Expand full comment

He was - and still is - such joy to talk with.

It's hard when your 4-year-old is way smarter than you are.

Expand full comment