LITTLE MAN

It was quite something to behold, socks, underpants and little vests lay scattered in piles and rings around a half-dressed little man with curls and a laundry basket between two splayed legs with knobbly knees. Indeed, there was not a patch of living room carpet to be found under the piles of disoriented hosiery, and had anyone else been responsible for the mess Kurt would have filled the painted room with shrill disapproval. But as it was, the detritus drew only a wearied and fond smile.

"Old MacDonald had a farm ee-i-ee-i-oh and on that farm he has some pigs ee-i-ee-i-oh…"

The voice warbled with confidence and the lyrics were clear – if somewhat lispy. The song had been going on for quite some time, and had anyone else been responsible for the noise, Kurt would have brought on a sudden end with a harsh verbal slap, but as it was simply tilted his head to one side and contemplated the child.

"Old MacDonald had a farm ee-i-ee-i-oh and on that farm he has some ducks ee-i-ee-i-oh…"

Kurt had in fact set out this morning with a goal in mind, chores and learning responsibility had been the theme of that Thursday's venture, but young Finlay had a way of turning everything into a game.

"Old MacDonald had a farm ee-i-ee-i-oh and on that farm he has some sheep ee-i-ee-i-oh…"

"Baby, why do you keep missing out the middle bit?"

The toddler's head shot up in comical fashion, intrigued at the interruption.

"What middle bit Dada?"

"The middle bit. You're supposed to say what the sheep says. You know 'With a baa-baa here and a baa-baa there…"

The youngster looked away, selected a sock and deposited it on a different pile for no particular reason. Kurt kept smiling and didn't hurry him.

"It's not fair for the sheeps."

Muffled. Finlay's nose now half-buried in the laundry basket.

"Not fair? How do you mean?"

The nose went up for air.

"They shouldn't have t' go baa if they doesn't want to." The owner pronounced with great sincerity. "You shouldn't be telling a sheep what to do."

Kurt wanted to chuckle, but wanted to hear his son talk more.

"So you just leave it out."

"Yes."

A tiny sneeze. A quiet 'Bless-you.'

"I leave it out and so the sheep can do whatever noise they want."

The little man examined his Dada with his Papa's amber eyes.

"You said anyone can do anything they want, s'long as they don't hurt nobody else."

Kurt didn't want to chuckle anymore, he wanted to crawl across the sea of socks and kiss his baby boy. So he did.

"That's true. I did say that."

"You said some n'other things too, Dada."

"Did I say that I loved you?"

Finlay gave much thought to this.

"Not t'day."

"I love you Finlay."

"I love you, Dada."

A sunny, innocent smile, a look of adoration, and the one with a shorter attention span turned back to the task in hand.

Kurt crossed his legs underneath him and thought about turning on the radio.

Until the singing began again.

"Old MacDonald had a farm ee-i-ee-i-oh, and on that farm he had some fish ee-i-ee-i-oh."

FIN

AN – Love it or hate it…review and let me know if it's worth continuing (I will take requests if anyone wants)