Things To Not Do in a Car #532

Tuesday, heading home from Michael’s summer “day camp” (read: place where Michael can go play with friends while daddy is at work during the day and thus allow his mother to properly heal from her recent surgery).

We’re driving along the busy street, cars close by in front and behind. Out of nowhere, he piped up with a question: “When is it Sunday?”

“What day is it today?” I asked, seizing the opportunity to turn this into a teachable moment, as I often strive to do.

“Uh….”

“It’s Tuesday.”

“Oh, Tuesday. Okay, then let’s see… Tuesday, Wednesday… what comes after Wednesday?”

“Thursday,” I said.

“Uh… how many is that?”

I held up my hand, fingers splayed wide, for him to see.

“Look: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday!” I curled up each finger in succession, starting from my thumb and working toward my pinkie.

“That’s five!” He exclaimed.

“Yes, that’s five!”

Suddenly enlightened as to alternate patterns, he held up his hand and chimed: “or, you could do it this way! Wednesday, Thursday, Friday…” he curled up each finger in the opposite order, starting with his pinkie and working toward his thumb.

“That’s true, you could!”

“What else?” He was noticing that the pattern doesn’t have to be linear, as long as each finger is used.

“Well, you could start from the outside and work inwards. Let’s see: Wednesday, Thursday…” I kept my hand up, fingers uncurled, and began closing them starting with thumb, then pinkie, then pointer, then ring…

It was when I got to Saturday and realized that Sunday was left standing that I realized exactly why that particular order might not have been the best choice while driving.

I was not surprised to see the driver ahead of me scowl into her rear-view mirror.

I quickly recovered, nonchalantly exercising my fingers one by one, demonstrating just how un-offensive my gesture really was.

And I drove real slow the rest of the way.