When I picked Mark up yesterday, he was clutching a dark blue jacket that wasn't his. I knew because a) I didn't buy it, and b) it was about three sizes too small.
"Where'd you get that?" I asked, and he answered, "I found it on the playground."
When I suggested we drop it off at the lost and found, he grimaced and said, "Darn!"
"Why do you want it?" I asked, a little puzzled. "It won't even fit you."
He explained that the after school counselors won't let kids play outside in the afternoon unless they have a jacket on.
"So I just pick up sweat shirts from the playground every day," he said.
I bit my tongue so I wouldn't laugh out loud. Then I asked if he'd considered any other solutions.
"Like what?" he asked.
"Like bringing your own sweatshirt every day," I answered. "And not losing it!"
He just looked at me like I was completely crazy. Like I'd suggested the most outrageous thing I could possibly think of.
Which I guess I had, when you really think about it. I'd suggested responsibility, a concept about as realistic to Mark as three-headed aliens or talking cats. Interesting ideas both, but really, what purpose would they serve Mark in the real world here?
"Yeah, you're right," I admitted. "It's probably easier to just pick up the stray jackets on the playground."
I couldn't believe I actually offered that as a solution, but as Mark smiled and ran off, I realized sometimes ya just have to take what you can get!
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