We’re in the Philippines now

"Frogs can jump higher than the Eiffel Tower," Sean, my eight-year-old son, told me mater-of-factly,

"No they can't." I said.

"But Dad," he said, starting to laugh, "the Eiffel Tower can't jump.

I sat back.  He did it again.

After a few moments he controlled his laughter and asked me,

"Dad, do you know why dinosaurs don't eat fish?"

I thought for a moment and gave up.

"No" I said " why don't dinosaurs eat fish..."

"Cuz they're dead!"

He's holding his sides laughing.

We were in my office. I was working on a drawing. He sat down on the floor and began playing with his Legos.

Presently he looked up at me and asked, "Daddy, are the suction cups on octopus tentacles like plungers?"

I paused for a moment to take in that image.

"Yah," I said, "pretty much so."

"They don't let in the air." he said knowingly like he'd already figured this one out. Then he stopped and thought for a moment like wait a second…

"Daddy," he said, "is there air in water?"

"Well, yah," I said, "There is air dissolved in the water."

"Then why can't we breathe under water?" He asked.

Hmmm.. That's actually a good question. How can I explain..

My mind raced for a moment considering semi-permeable membranes, concentration gradients, oxygen partial pressure, selective transport systems, hemoglobin binding capacity.. and..

I breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.

That shit's over.

"Little dude, we're in the Philippines now." I laughed. "Go ask an octopus."

"Hey dad." He said after a moment. "Do you know why the skeleton didn't climb the mountain?"

I braced myself.

"Cuz he didn't have the guts." He said running away laughing.

Calbayog 2024