Faith

The scene: Dutch and I are lying side-by-side in her bed. She's been quiet for a while, staring off into space (because she WILL not shut her eyes until she actually falls asleep, and sometimes not even then). I'm pretending I'm asleep, and it's not a very difficult pretense, since I pretty much am.

Dutch: Mama? Remember how when we were in Los Angeles we went to the no-wave beach and we saw the dinosaur bone? And it was SO big?
Me: (silence)
Dutch: Grandad said it was probably a dinosaur bone. It wasn't a chicken bone. It was a dinosaur bone. That was so cool! I didn't know there were dinosaurs in Los Angeles! That was the FIRST TIME I have ever seen a dinosaur bone!
Me (aka Mama Killjoy): Honey, it wasn't a dinosaur bone.
Dutch:(silence)
Dutch: Mama, I think it was a dinosaur bone. Grandad thought it was a dinosaur bone. It really wasn't spiky at all. It was very big. It was from a dinosaur. I'm SURE it was from a dinosaur.
Me: Hmm...

later, after more silent staring into space...

Dutch: Mama, you have a happy life ahead of you!