What kids are good for...

I tried getting interested in the news stories today:

War,

crime,

illness,

but all I got was depressed.

Oh, and we can't forget:

death ...

The last story is a few days old but it has a personal connection for me. Larry Trail, an area politican - former Tennessee State Senator and recently elected Circuit Court Judge - died Sunday unexpectedly.

He was my brother-in-law's brother-in-law. That is, Judge Trail's sister is married to my wife's brother. Stacie took her parents and the kids to the funeral home earlier this week.

I didn't know him, I only met him once years ago I think, but again, depressing. You know, you just feel bad for the family and all.

As I sat there just feeling pretty miserable, my eight year old son came home from school and bounded through the door with the exuberance of, well, an eight year old.

After school.

On Friday.

After telling me that he stayed on 'green' today and relating at least a dozen things that happened at school (all in about 45 seconds), he starts telling me about this grasshopper that he caught at recess.

He claims it was an endangered species.

I'm sure.

He kept the grasshopper in a container until the teacher made him let it go before school was out.

He gave it a name.

Gerald.

No disrespect to President Ford with his health concerns and all, but it's a funny name even for a grasshopper.

I laughed and asked him why 'Gerald' (thinking they might have had a class discussion about the former president since he's in the news today).

No, Tad says he just likes the name Gerald. It's a good Christian name for a grasshopper.

?

My mood was starting to lighten a bit as we got into Stacie's SUV to go pick up Shelby from school and then to meet Stacie for dinner. I had stol... I mean, borrowed the Pathfinder all day and had accidentally left the tunage cranked. When I started up, Dark Side of the Moon's 'Money' came on at full volume.

After I lowered the volume a bit, Tad said, "Hey, is that 'The Floyd'?"

Yes, Pink Floyd.

Then it hit me!

Of course!

PINK FLOYD. 'Bike': I know a mouse, and he hasn't got a house. I don't know why I call him Gerald.

Now where would the kid have learned something like that? I can only assume it was from his mother:)

Anyway, I'm in a better mood now.