Like a Fish. Yup, Like a Fish.

She had been waiting for the special day for months, ever since her kindergarten teacher told her it was going to happen. A day of fun and games for everyone from kindergarten through second grade, the bigger kids and the littler kids working together and enjoying what would have otherwise been just a bland old regular day of school. But it was June, and the natives were restless near the creek, at the small school that cares for my oldest child when I’m not there. But I was going to be there on that special day. I had been nominated as the parental unit to chaperone, which really meant to watch Lexi and make sure she didn’t have a meltdown. I didn’t mind. I too have a personal connection with the school that goes way back, so it was a reunion of sorts as well.

But let’s skip ahead. The day arrived, and I came prepared in jeans and sneakers, knowing that in addition to taking care of my own, I would also be asked to shepherd other kids through, to keep them safe, and to make sure they were happily following the game instructions. Lexi was in rare form too, almost from the very start. She apparently had something else in mind other than what we were actually going to do. By the time the sack race was beginning she was actively pouting as she sat on the grass with her head between her knees. I will honestly admit that her mother is much better at getting her out of those moods, but she wasn’t there. Instead, I took a picture of her with my phone and sent it along to my lovely wife with a question mark in the text message box. Figuring she wouldn’t get right back to me, I still worked on setting things right. The kids were moving through the line picking partners and I was worried that even when Lexi snapped out of her funk she still wouldn’t be able to do the sack race because of the lack of partners.

So I did something completely spontaneous. I began doing my impressions. Now, you know how good I am at my impressions, but I knew it would take one of my really over-the-top ones to get her smiling again. It was going to have to take the Coz. And I did just that, busting out my Jell-O pudding pop routine. Several of the nearby kids were actively laughing by the time I was done, and I had managed to coax a smile from my little one as well. I had brought her back from the brink. It took a lot of effort but I was proud of myself. Now, I knew what Lexi really wanted, and that wasn’t going to happen until afternoon, so I had to get more creative to keep her through the morning. Meanwhile, some other kids were having issues getting the sack race completed. I helped partner them up, get them into the sacks, and on their way. Lexi did finally get two partners to go with her, and she really did start to have fun.

After several other activities, it was finally after lunch, and the afternoon activities were going to begin, and that’s where the photograph comes in. Sure, I got Lexi back on the positive side with my Cosby impression earlier, but I had to pull out other impressions, like my Muhammad Ali, my Eddie Murphy, and my Jim Carrey in order to keep her from the meltdown and get her to the afternoon relatively unscathed. Then it was time for what she had been waiting all day for, and you could see it in her beaming smile. It was time to swim.

Now, you have to know that my Lexi is like a fish. Yup, like a fish. When she gets anywhere near water, I swear she grows gills. Even in the bathtub she finds a way to do some sort of swimming (and usually gets my feet soaked too). She had just gone to the YMCA for swimming classes, and I swear she taught the instructor a thing or two. I’m just the opposite. I don’t even like to get wet (except in the shower, and that’s only because I can sing without being judged), but I get excited when Lexi is excited. So, you should have seen my smile too as she changed into her bathing suit and got ready for the fun water time. It was incredible too, like night and day, her attitude and how it changed. She led other kids in organizing activities for the water play time, she took turns, and she blossomed right before my eyes. If only she could be in water all the time.

So the day ended up a success. The only issue was when water play time was over, and my little fish grew her legs again. But that was okay then. It still had some residual effects, at least until I reminded her she had lost TV for that night. And it began again.

Sam