Meet New Friends, but Keep the Old No comments yet

Chapter six is titled, ‘Out of the Frying Pan, into the Fire’. Seven-year-olds are intimately familiar with the concept, but I’m not sure if Ian’s ever heard the expression.

‘Do you know what that means?’ He shakes his head.

‘Well, imagine you’re a piece of meat, frying in a pan.’ He throws his eyes open and shudders. ‘Waaaaaah!’

‘Now you jump out of the frying pan, and land in the fire!’

‘Wooooah ahhhhh eeeeee!’

‘Where would you rather be: in the pan, or in the fire?’

He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. ‘I’m back in the pan with my old friend, Bacon!’

Empathy No comments yet

Friday at the dollar theater. Boys’ night out. Mommy at home, not disapproving of the box of Raisenets or bag of M&Ms.

We’re snuggling in the arctic chill of a movie theater, and watch as the Love Interest trembles but takes the hand of our Hero as he leads her to the edge of the rooftop. Smiling to hide her fear, she nervously admits that she doesn’t care for heights.

Ian nods after a handful of candy finds his mouth in the dark. He swallows and whispers in my ear, ‘I’m afraid of heights myself.’