A WHIZ at Artful Response

It was a Norman Rockwell ending to a gorgeous evening spent soaking in one of the last few days of summer break. The sun was setting over the ridge of trees across from our house and there was enough of a breeze to send wisps of relief from the hot, humid air. I was enjoying our park bench after hours and endless piles of laundry, watching the kids take their turns with Daddy on the neighbor's four-wheeler, and smiling at the sheer joy in their laughter. That's when my little guy came over to recount the fun ride he'd just returned from, with excitement spewing through large motions of explanation.

Then, without a beat, he casually undid his zipper and proceeded to water the tree. Nature was calling and he decided to answer directly. I don't know how this sits with most mothers out there. I mean, I, like all moms I think, try to teach my boys that bathrooms are made for that particular activity. But my hubby works construction and much more often than not, the only depository available is the great outdoors. The boys have seen this so often that we just don't make that big of deal of it except to teach them to keep it out of common walkways and make sure no one is watching. He was doing both, using the big oak as a target. I sort of figure it's one of the benefits a boy should happily enjoy about being boy, though I'm personally grateful as a girl to be able to cover my zits up with makeup. It's a much more practical privilege to me.

Still, I was a little surprised because never before had my son showered so freely in the front yard at sundown, when friendly chatter could be heard in several directions. "Did you look before you did that, to make sure M. can't see you?" He slowly looked over his shoulder at the neighbor's house next door, then back at me before offering his defense. "Well, did you know that peeing is good for the trees? And so is poop." He grinned ear to ear. "I just think that is SO COOL!"

"How did you know about that?" I giggled.

"You told me about it. They put animal poop on the trees to make them grow. This one's gonna get BIG."

I laughed for ten minutes straight. That particular tree? Exactly how many members of our household was he hinting at?