Car Interior Dialogue, Take 326

Lily has always been one of those kids whose age you forget sometimes. She prides herself on competency, sometimes to a fault. Then, there are times when it is blessedly clear she is five. A dialogue:

Scene: car interior

Lily, from backseat: Mama? Have you ever built a grassman?

Me, driving and trying desperately to listen to John Hughes story on NPR: What? What did you say?

Lily: Mama! I said, have you ever built a grassman?

Me, giving up on Brat Pack analysis: No, I don't think so. What's a grassman?

Lily: You know. Like a snowman but made out of grass. You know, lots and lots of grass. Like from a big field.

Me, pausing to absorb strangeness: Hmmm. That seems like it would be hard to make. Have you ever made one?

Lily: Not exactly. I mean, I tried. It didn't get very big.

Me, choosing words carefully: I feel like it would be really hard to get the pieces of grass to stick together. Snow sticks to itself when it's wet so it's easy to make the snowballs. But grass--I can't really imagine it.

Lily, excited: Exactly! That's just what the problem is. You understand exactly. Maybe someday, we'll figure it out. Make a real grassman.

Me: speechless.

Fade out...