Not Simon, but rather his friend Caroline. Simon has a lot of adorable friends in his life, but I have to confess that little Caroline has a special place in my heart. In a way, it’s projected narcissism; she’s the child who is most like Simon in many ways. She’s sweet, she’s gentle, she’s bright, and she’s pretty easy going. She’s even skinny like Simon! Which is not to say that they are identical: Caroline is also a natural climber and dancer who loves to color and draw and is obsessed with Rapunzel and other princessy stuff.
When the two of them play, the adults can pretty much disappear. I have witnessed multi-hour play-dates in which I never once had to intervene to negotiate sharing or choosing activities. I even like her parents, two interesting, bright, and open people I now count as friends and feel lucky to have met. So Caroline: I dig her. We’ve established that.
Now let me tell you about the two cutest things I’ve ever seen her do. After complaining about other people’s kids and exposing my uncharitable reaction a few posts ago, it seems only right to swing in the other direction and prove that I don’t find all children besides my own to be wanting.
The first incident is hearsay, as Matt is the one who saw it and relayed the story to me. Simon and Caroline were playing Hansel and Gretel in our house, a game that mostly consisted of them chasing each other around the house and calling out “Hansel!” or “Gretel!” at intervals. After a time, the action moved to our basement. Whereupon Caroline laid down on our floor, closed her eyes, and played dead.
“Gretel!” Simon yelled to no avail. Matt, sensing that the game had shifted to a Sleeping Beauty meme, helped Simon along.
“I think she’s being Sleeping Beauty, Simon. Why don’t you give her a little kiss?”
Dutifully, Simon took Caroline’s hand in his and placed a delicate kiss on it. To which Caroline responded with eyes still closed:
“Nope. It has to be on the lips.”
I am pleased to report that Simon didn’t balk. He manned up, puckered up, and broke the spell that caused her to collapse on our floor.
In case that wasn’t cute enough, the drama really ramped up a few weeks later. This time we were gathered at Caroline’s house for dinner the night of my half marathon. The guys were out picking up our dinner while Carrie, the kids and I waited for them. As usual, I was mostly ignoring the kids in favor of chatting with Carrie. Then suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I realized that there was some drama going down. Not drama of the “she hit me” or “he won’t share” variety, but real drama, Shakespearean to be precise.
It’s unfortunate that I’m never going to be able to do this justice. Picture the two kids standing face to face, just a few inches apart. Caroline reaches up and clasps Simon’s face in her hands. Simon mirrors her.
“Promise me you’ll never forget me,” she says earnestly.
“I’ll never forget you,” Simon responds.
“Promise me you’ll always love me,” she entreats.
“I’ll always love you,” he reassures.
“Can I have a lock of your hair?” she asks, stroking his hair.
“You can have a lock of my hair,” he offers, and leans closer to her.
She mimes clipping his hair and putting it in a locket.
“I’ll never forget you,” she promises.
“I’ll never forget you,” he promises back.
“I’ll love you forever,” she goes on.
“I’ll love you forever, too,” he replies.
And then, after this rather amazing display of romantic love, Caroline throws herself on the ground and calls out,
“I die!”
At which point Simon collapses next to her.
“I die, too.”
Over in the adults’ corner, Carrie is looking horrified, and I am losing it. Carrie is worried that her daughter is turning 15 overnight, and I’m absolutely amazed at Caroline’s direction and Simon’s gameness to go along.
The next day I double-checked the recent KIP school schedule and discovered that, lo and behold, a Shakespeare company came to the school earlier in the week and performed a preschool version of Romeo and Juliet, which obviously made its mark on the young Caroline, who in turn made quite an impression on me.
That girl, I tell you, is the second cutest kid on the planet.
Great, great post.
Simon (and you) are lucky to have such marvelous friends!
Concerning sportsmanship; when he stands up and does the “chicken dance” you can blame me. I have watched this spectacle at bridge when Jean gets her third game in a row and am afraid I passed it on when I FINALLY won a game of Shoots and Ladders.
This is in the wrong place. Meant it to be under latest quotes.