One of our little games is a scenario in which we are going on a train. Julian is named, Westword, which I believe came about after he and Scissors just boarded the Long Island Railroad one day and took a ride. That night we started this game and when I asked what his name was, he thought and said "Westword!" which may have been a play on westward.
In the game, Julian speaks in a clipped proper accent and I am his companion going on the train. The dialogue usually just springs up. A sample of our interchange goes something like this (I cannot say that we were not influenced by The Importance of Being Earnest, a grand movie if ever there was one):
Westword: "There will be dining cars!"
Me (I have no name) clutching my hands in front of me: "Oh it'll be grand, Westword!"
Westword: "Sleeping cars, reading cars!"
Me: "Viewing cars!"
Westword: "Yes, yes. Well, I'm going to Boston."
Me; "Wh, when - how long will you be, Westword?"
Westword: "I'm leaving forever, I'll be back tonight."
Me: "Oh Westword, I look forward to your return."
Tali asked me recently, "Who are you in the game?"
"We haven't defined it - his mother, a travelling companion - it's not important," I reply.
Well, Westword and I are off to the pediatric neurologist in the morning - update time. And I'm sure we won't be asked about Westword or the Beatles.
We're leaving forever, but we'll be back for school.
14 comments:
What a fantabulous imagination that kid has - I love it!
Good luck w/ the doc
Hey, one of my students is doing so good that he will no longer need an aid for 6th grade next year! You could not have guessed this outcome if you'd seen him as a first grader. He has very supportive parents- as you know, this is so very important.
Oh, I LOVE your game!!
Julian is imaginative and fun, and so are you.
Have fun Bunburying!
I'm leaving forever. I'll be back tonight
My two new favorite lines anywhere by anybody. Julian captured a giant universal truth that I'm still not sure I understand
He's so lucky to have a mom who might not know her role but plays it anyway.
Thanks for this post. It's the perfect family one
Great post. Such imagination must run in your family.
Westword sort of reminded me of an old movie called Westworld where Yul Brenner played a cowboy robot that went haywire at a fantasy park.
Claire, he does. I love watching him in action. Thanks and Julian is making great strides as well so it so good to read stories such as that of your student.
Jamie Dawn, thanks so much. There's always room on the train for one more!
Doug, haha - indeed we do! In fact, we may need to visit our good fried this very weekend!
Pia, hahaha - those are our favorites too (Tali and mine). Tali made up a little poem which I'll have to encourage her to share if she remembers it around those lines. A classic Julianism. Thanks :)
T&I: Well, yes - that and insanity. So we encourage the imagination part. Ha, I remember the movie title, though I've never seen it. Maybe it's worth a look.
Speaking as someone who wrote her dissertation on the influence of Oscar Wilde, I really appreciate that.
I hope there will be cucumber sandwiches at the pediatric neurologist's.
It seems they were all out and just as we arrived!
I watched the film (the 1952 version of course) one evening with the kids. They were in peels of laughter along with me so that is a real testament to Mr. Wilde's writing and wit.
We read it aloud as a family for Mall Diva's homeschooling. Toyplayer, who was younger then, read the servant parts. He loved being Lane and saying "Yes sir," "No sir," and "There were no cucumbers at the market today sir" in a deadpan, Jeevesian voice.
Thanks for a wonderful idea! The thought just occurred to me that this would be a wonderful classic covered over in Stuffed Animal Tales.
"I'm leaving forever, I'll be back tonight." - this is beautiful.
Good game!
How was forever? I'd like to understand more of Julian's definition. I know some things seem to last forever (usually the more unhappy things) but then again forever can be a magical thrilling concept as well. How was the doc? And finally, I'll never sing (or hum) Sgy Pepper's onely Hearts Club Band without remembering Julians creative rendition :)
Yes it would, but, continuing with her Southern pathology theme and never one to do things by halves, Mall Diva is currently obsessed with reading every word of Tennessee Williams--even grocery lists, if they've published those. How does "A Street Cat Named Desirée" strike you?
Ariel, I almost want to have that painted onto canvas.
Please come play, we always have room for other passengers.
Terry, the magic in such phrases of Julian's actually lies in not knowing what he meant. Of course, now you have me wondering what does he think of as forever? I love how you think.
The doc went well - just an update which always leads to another evaluation by somebody, but he is making wonderful strides. I'm particularly fond of that rendition myself :)
Weirsdo, I'll bet she can find those on eBay.
It doesn't get better than that - can't wait :)
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