fish

Because of Red Lobster we went to the pet store.  I'll explain.

G and I were out running errands this afternoon and drove past the Red Lobster restaurant.  He saw the big lobster and said "Mama, look, a crab."  I said "That's a lobster but it does look a bit like a crab, you're right.  Do you see the fish?" (pointing to the large painted fish on the side of the building)  G looks for the fish and then asks to see the fish.  He decided that the fish paintings meant it was an aquarium, which he loves and thought I was asking him if he'd like to see the fish.  I try feebly to explain that no, it's not a place to look at fish, but he doesn't understand.  It doesn't matter what I say now, he wants to see fish and thinks that I am denying him for some unknowable reason.  We have come to an impasse.

This happens often, less than it used to, but still too often.  It breaks my heart to know that from his perspective I offered something and then took it back, refused him.  Sometimes I imagine the whole world seems that way to G.  Our miscommunications make it hard for him to trust... hard for him to know that we care about his opinions and desires.  And so, whenever we can, we show him that we hear him, understand him and aren't going back on our word.

So we went to the pet store and saw the fish.  And we had a wonderful half hour watching fish and frogs, cats and birds and gerbils, and we picked up the dog bags we needed.