We went monster hunting with Malek and his mama again yesterday. We've come up empty handed so many times now that the boys spent a bit more time on "truck breaks" than "mumble grumble" jaunts. It had rained the night before and the earthworms were thriving in the spring dirt. When P unearthed one with his truck, the boys' curiosity came alive and they tinkered with the idea of smushing it. P wanted to know what would happen if he killed the worm. Well, I said, it will die. His (fear-filled) obsession with cops and jail has helped him nail the fact that he isn't the right age to be locked up. So, he pondered, if I can't go to jail, what really happens if I kill this tiny worm? Its so funny to watch someone who can't always get their boots on the right foot struggle with big, ethical questions. I could practically see the motto of our 'Horton hears a Who' book swirling through his head "A persons a person no matter how small." Yet, mama grabbed that moth in the kitchen the other day (whoops) and Grams and Aunt D seem passionate about fly killing....
Malek solved P's problem by diving at the little bug with a "let's kill it." "Noooooo!!! shrieked P. "You Can't Kill It!" From then on he was the worm's savior. If he felt Malek had a worm out of the dirt for too long he would lunge for it, saying it was dehydrated. Ahhh, lucky little worm. If only the next bug would be so lucky.... I can already see him wondering "what happens if I kill this ant...."
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