Carter and Maddie came home from school very excited- Maddie’s dad visited their classroom and juggled for them, resulting in the following discussions:
Amy (upon hearing of Maddie’s dad’s considerable juggling skill): Wow! That’s so cool. I wonder what my talent would be if I came in.
Carter (horrified): You can’t come in! Daddy has to come in!
Amy: What’s his talent?
Carter: Telling jokes.
Amy: Umm, who is it that puts a joke in your lunch box every durn day?
Carter: You, but if Daddy did it, they’d be funny.
Then later, Carter tells me more about the juggler.
Carter: You have to know how to play golf to juggle.
Amy (half asleep): Hmm?
Carter: Or, play soccer.
Amy (waking up more): What? Soccer?
Carter: Or be able to dribble a basketball behind your legs. It’s about being able to handle a ball, and playing the piano.
Amy (getting it): Ah. So the skills you might learn in those sports would make juggling easier.
Carter: Yes. And, he learned to juggle using golf balls. So it’s golf balls, and you need hand strength. So I’m going to start practicing piano.
The most pleasing result of these conversations was not Kevin taking over the lunch box joke duty, but Carter devoting himself to his piano lesson, even after two offers from his teacher to take a break.
