Thumb Feet

During some period of his life, between infancy and five years of age, Little Jay's mom used to call him her "little monkey." I don't remember how I found this out except that it was one of those conversations you have with kids that goes somewhere completely unexpected--which makes the outcome even funnier.

Anyway, I sometimes teasingly invoke this bit of family lore when I'm reminded of it by his irresistable cuteness, the wirey quickness of his movements, the blue eyes, expressive face, and those ears that stick out, just a liiittle bit, from the sides of his close-shaven head.

Yesterday, before they went out, my son asked me to wash Little Jay's truly dirty little feet. I had him sitting on the closed seat of the toilet as I soaped-up the wash cloth. When it was sufficiently soapy to wash down the average tractor trailer, I said to him, "OK, give me one of those little monkey feet."

He answered, "I don't have monkey feet, Poppa, monkeys have thumb feet!"