Yesterday, I received that late morning phone call that as a parent we all dread.  The caller ID said it all, “Willmar Public Schools.”  The school nurse laughed as I immediately asked which child was sick.  It was our Kindergartener Ben.  His stomach hurt and he had a temp of 103 degrees.

Picking up Ben from school and returning home, you could tell that he was out of sorts, but after a dose of Tylenol and a morning full of rest, he was back in the game.  Getting ready to make lunch we turned on the radio to hear that our favorite program was on, “The All Request Lunch.”  As soup warmed up on the stove, I turned to Ben and asked what song he would like to hear.  Without hesitation, his first selection was “Brown Sugar,” our family’s baking anthem (I know, I know, the song’s subject matter is inappropriate for a 6-year-old.  Someday in the distant future, he’ll realize this and with shock say, “I thought that song was actually about ‘brown sugar.’  What was my dad thinking?”  Thankfully, that day is a long way off.)  Sending in our email request, within minutes, the DJ announced, “Now an email request for the ‘Rolling Stones’ from Ben.”

Excited, we looked at each other with the same thought.  We should “dance.”  Picking up Ben and preparing to swing him around the kitchen, I hesitated.  My mind raised a red flag and I asked Ben, “Should we dance when you have an upset stomach?”  Considering the question for a second, Ben smiled and shook his head from side-to-side.  Something amazing had just occurred.  Two souls without a lick of common sense between them had made the right call.  There would be no dancing, but in this instance, it was a good thing.  “Brown sugar, how come you taste so good?” 

This morning, Ben was asked to go to the kitchen for his medicine.  Even though he still needs rest, it appears as if his sense of humor is doing well.