Fall in the Shop

When my sons were younger they used to open the shop for me when they got home on the bus. I always looked forward to finding the costume shop up and running with boys' homework spread out all over the desk. Those days are gone. One son is experiencing his first year of college in Missoula, Montana. The other son is usually occupied with work or after school activities at the high school. He's the boy that used to go to town with me in the morning, the very first year we had the shop, to open up and eat lunch at Professor Java's next door before he boarded the bus for afternoon kindergarten. Then we moved to our present location and he was in first grade and we were off and running in this space.

I miss those days, but I'm proud of my sons.

Tonight my Fairy Goddaughter surprised me by showing up to help at the shop. She brought her homework and we soon realized that neither of us had all the parts and functions of animal and plant cells committed to memory. As Dani struggled to complete her worksheet I tried to dredge up my high school biology class memories.

Finally I heard that ever-present voice of wisdom in the back of my mind. It sounds an awful lot like my father. "Look it up!"

So I ran to the house, located my trusty, Unabridged Random House Dictionary of the English language. I explained to Dani that this was the old fashioned way to do homework when you are without a textbook, the Internet, or electricity in general.


We had a great time learning about chromosomes, mitochondria, ribosomes, lysosomes, vacuoles, cytoplasm and other cell organelles. I think she aced the worksheet - both sides.

Of course I had to show her the other benefits of an unabridged dictionary. (It has all the forbidden words in it, too.) She didn't believe me when I told her it had the "F-bomb" in it. Of course she looked it up to prove me wrong.

HA!

I was right and she giggled and quickly turned back to Endoplasmic Reticulum. Which is certainly not a dirty word. At least we don't think so.

We had customers and help from some staff.

But the best part for me was hanging with my friend, Dani, while she worked on her homework and I worked on her costume for "The Music Man."

She will look pretty in pink. I don't think she wants to be a cell for Halloween - although it could make for an interesting costume . . . .

My guess is she will have had enough of science and pink and will want to be a pirate for Halloween.

I'm with her! ARRRRRRGH!