In a change from the usual, I was in a pretty lousy mood all day today. Wanting to shake my head, turn my back and ignore, ignore, ignore … everything and everyone. I was, as the title of this post hints at, out of sorts (whatever that meant when it was first coined).
This isn’t helpful when you have a full day of work and need to be at least a little bit sociable. (And yes, I am now this ridiculous and will be illustrating myself whenever the moment strikes.)
Sour, sour, sour … and then I took the bus home. Sitting across from me was a very tired-looking young mom. She was cute and had a gorgeous afro with a flat-twisted band across the front. She was riding with her super-adorable son who was maybe six or seven years old. The dialogue starts with him:
– Sometimes I love your smile.
– (smiles) Only sometimes?
– Well, sometimes I love your hair.
– Only sometimes?
– (thinks) … I love a lot of things with you.
– (smiles, tries not to laugh) But only sometimes.
– I go one at a time.
– (nods) You know, you can love a lot of things all at the same time.
– (surprised) The same time?
– Like me: I love your eyes and your nose and your smile and your laugh and your hands … you see? All at the same time.
– (thinks) … But you don’t say all of that.
– No, I just say, “I love you.”
– (thinks … then nods) That’s easier.
Funk dissolved. The world has righted itself.
I love a lot of things at one time, too. Right now, I’m loving that it’s March and time for Ruth and Stacey’s 6th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge!! That’s right, the event that made me a blogger, the event that has grown dramatically every year, the event that’s so big it now has an administrative staff! Jump in and tell some stories! Stories (as this post shows) about anything. Jump in: what do you love all at once?
if you want kin, you must plant kin ... 
I so love the way you express your thoughts! ( Yea…where are my sorts?…putting it that way has to bring some sorts back with a smile.)
How great that you noticed that loving exchange between mother and son. How great that you wrote about it, that its power changed your sour mood, and that its sweet message came to me. There is greatness in thinking about what we love all at once!
LikeLike
Thanks, Kim. I love the way children express things … and love even more the parents and other adults who let them express themselves the ways they need and want to without telling them about the “right” and “wrong” way to say things. That little boy had my heart, but his mom is my hero!
LikeLike
i love this, Stacie, and intend to share it widely. What a great mom and little kid.
LikeLike
Thanks, Sonia!
LikeLike
I love your illustration.
The dialog took away the cloud over my head as well. I am glad for the slice because I now have a friend in Brooklyn.
LikeLike
Writing that slice reminded me that I’d stopped working on my comic — got a little overwhelmed with work — so I went back to it today!
LikeLike
Well, that would have brought the sun into my day too. I love happening upon moments like this – it makes me glad to be alive.
LikeLike
Me, too. I love the moments you can see and hear if you stay open. I almost had my headphones on — wanted to let music try to push me out of my mood. So glad I didn’t!
LikeLike
Listening in! Such a great noticing. The mom and child dialog is priceless.
LikeLike
I thought of them a lot today, thinking of how great that mom was. Lucky, lucky son to have her!
LikeLike
That is the sweetest conversation. 🙂
LikeLike
I’ve been keeping my eye out for the two of them, hoping they’re going to be regulars on my bus so I can see/hear more of their interactions.
LikeLike
What a lovely little vignette, Stacie. So glad I got to read it. It cheers me on my own day of feeling out of sorts and equally appreciated.
LikeLike
I’m glad you saw it on a day when you needed it, Raivenne!
LikeLike