"Let's pretend we're on a magic cloud and the sky is an infinite ocean." Sean, my son said.
I pondered this for a moment. That's kind of how I feel about living in the Philippines.
"Did you know," I said, changing the subject, "that if you were naked in outer space that one side of your body would freeze while the other side boiled?"
"Well, I'll be on the frozen side." Sean replied.
"That's the spirit." I said.
We were riding in the back of Sean's uncle's trike speeding up the coast. It was a beautiful day. I looked up at the clouds and thought of magical islands filled with beautiful women and lovely beaches. The Philippine sky is a deep blue. My mind journeyed deep into an infinite ocean.
"Daddy, what is Heaven like?" Sean asked looking up at the clouds. We have him enrolled in a private Catholic school and they're teaching him about Jesus. That's OK. I prefer that to teaching him about anal sex.
"I don't really know," I said, "I've never been there." I try to keep these religious conversations vague yet truthful.
"Daddy, are you older than grandma?" Sean asked me.
I'm not really sure where this is going but I answer, "Yah..."
Stick with the truth. That's my motto.
"Are you the oldest person in our family?"
"Yep," I said. Just the truth. I'm older than my wife's mother. Shame on me hahahaha.
"So you're going to Heaven first?" He asked.
Hmmm, so that's where he's going.
The tricycle hit a bump and Sean leaned up against me. I looked down at him and said,
"That's the plan, if everything goes right. I'll be heading on to Heaven first. But don't worry, when I get there, I'll put in a good word for you with God."
"Thanks Dad." He said.
As we talked I brought my cell phone up and took a quick a picture of the two of us.
"Are you kidding me!" He yelled.
And we both laughed.
