Sunday, March 21, 2010

Shut up, I'm busy

“Mamma, which shampoo does a lion use?”
“Lions don’t use shampoo!”
“But their hair is so beautiful. They must be using shampoo.”
“Lions have a mane, not hair.”
“Okay, mane. Which shampoo do they use on their mane?”
“I told you. They don’t use shampoo.”
“Then why do girls use shampoo?
“To keep their hair clean, and to make it look nice.”
“But lions have nice hair too. Why don’t they use shampoo?”
“Shut up. I’m busy.”

I knew that was coming. I may be only six, but I know the ultimate answer to every question- “Shut up, I’m busy!”


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Drabble (n) - an extremely short work exactly one hundred words in length. The purpose of the drabble is brevity and to test the author's ability to express interesting and meaningful ideas in an extremely confined space.

7 comments:

Mason Canyon said...

Enjoyed the drabble and such a realistic conversation. Children can ask the most innocent and hard to explain questions.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Now I'm wondering too. What shampoo DO lions use?

Anonymous said...

I love the way kids question everything.. hope that we parents do not always answer with the be quiet line...

Hart Johnson said...

Buwahahahahahahaha! Oh kids... and the questions that have really complicated answers, so they won't accept anything short. I love this drabble--I like that your perspective is from the child, too... makes it easier to swallow mom being 'mean'.

dipali said...

Poor kid:(
And poor mom, too!
Loved this:)

Ann Elle Altman said...

I love the questions that children come up with.

ann

Natasha said...

@ Mason - kids come up with the most penetrating observations, don't they?

@ Debra - ever since my son asked me, I've been wondering too.

@ Fiona - I normally tell them to ask me later, and guess what, they do!!!!

@ Tami- and sometimes, the answer they are looking for is really something quite simple. For lions we invented a concoction of neem leaves boiled in water for three hours. I'm dreading the day they come back and tell me there are no neem trees in Africa.

@ Dipali - it is a pity that so many kids do get the Shut up line most of the time

@ Ann - each is a classic.

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