Ping Pong Sheriffs

Today Will and I went to the library while Allen stayed home with napping babies. Last time, we were too crunched with the wagon and trio, so I've been looking forward to having an opportunity to go with just Will. We searched the children's section for "just the right one" and left with 6 or 7 books for Will, 3 movies, and 2 novels for me. Will wanted to find some books he could read himself, and I think we found some Seuss-style books he will enjoy. He also really wanted a Star Wars kids book. Since I couldn't find an updated card catalog or search computer, I suggested he ask the librarian to help him. He politely waited his turn to talk to her, and asked her, "Please, would you mind helping me find a kids Star Wars book?" I was nearly tearing up with pride he was so incredibly polite as he stood on his toes and tipped his nose up to peek over the counter at her. She used her computer to search and gently told him that they did have one, but some one had it checked out. She put it on request for him and then took him and showed him an audio book they had (she did ask me if we had a tape player first.) He was excited to get the kind of book that we explained he could read along with and it would tell him when to turn the pages.

As we left the librarian told us we should check out the party that the library was hosting at the park next door . Since Will hadn't played at that park before, we had to stop and try out each of the obstacles. I was impressed that the see-saws had half tires buried in the dirt so that the seat never crashed to the ground. Even when I tried to land hard, it was only a soft bounce. Why don't all parks do that? At the "party" the kids summer reading group had a hotdog cookout and Old West re-enactors. Will was startled away from the slide with the gun pops as the Texas Ranger "shot" the bad guy. So we wandered over for him to check out the cowboys. As we headed that way, Will asked me if they were going to play ping-pong. I was confused and asked him why they would do that. "All sheriffs, should play a good game of ping-pong, Mama," he confidently explained to me with the You-should-know-this look. Sometimes its easier to agree than ask for an explanation, so I bit my lip, held back the grin, and nodded, "Absolutely!"

When we got to the four actors, they were explaining gun and bullet safety to the children. Big Kate, a hefty woman in a saloon get-up, came and introduced herself to Will. He shook her hand and asked, "What are you?" She grinned at me and had the twinkle in her eye that immediately told me she hadn't ever had to explain her persona to a child. She was quick and creative, though, and I give her kudos for that.
"Wah, Will, sir, I am a sal-oon woh-man."
"What's that?"
"Hmmm. Way-ell, that is whar the men come to pla-uh caads. Do you pla-uh caads, Will?"
He looked down and shook his head no.
"Oh come aahn, Aa'm shoa you pla-uh Go Fish or Old Maid."
"Oh yeah, I've played that."
"That's whaat Aa do."
She winked and grinned at him, and as a feather blew off her black boa, she snatched it out of the air and handed it to Will.
"Next time I come here, I'll bring my black cowboy hat," he told her, then quickly added, "Hey, do you play ping-pong?"
"A little, but Aa'm not as good as you aare. Do you play?" (the odd accent was there sometimes, a mix between Old South and Texas twang, she tried hard to keep her persona, but realized the little kids couldn't understand the accent so she'd switch.)
"No. I never did."

After a few more gun-fights, a couple of rides on the slides and swings, and a hotdog, we headed back to the car to come home. He was telling me as we walked that she was a Claire-girl. I still don't understand that either, but he patiently explained to me that a Claire-girl wore a purple cowgirl hat and played ping pong better than the bandits. Where is this coming from???!!!

When we got home and told Daddy all about the adventures, I took Allen aside and tried to retell him about the ping-pong obsession. Allen laughed at me like I was silly NOT to know all about it. Then Allen told me he and Will saw an episode of the BackYardigans where it was an old-west theme and rather than the gun shoot-outs, they had ping pong battles. The sheriff came to save the day by being better at ping-pong than the bandits. Although Allen said he thought it was Uniqua, not Claire, who was the sheriff. Will agreed that it was Uniqua. I shook my head -- of course, Mama, you should KNOW these things.

Will told me, "Mama, I had a great time. Thank you for taking me." I love the days when his manners shine and so far this has definitely been one of them.

PS - don't forget I write this blog for me to remember. I am not trying to brag about his manners, but rather write about the good times so that on a bad day I can read it and be a little hopeful.