stung by fried chicken and smiling

“Ow Ow Oooow!”

I saw it fly out of my shoe while I was still in what must’ve looked something like a frantic mid-air twist  jump screaming kung-fu disco move. 

“Mud hornet! Damn that hurts!”

  I bolted for the door and ran inside.  “thump -  thump  - thump” went my one non-stung still shoe clad foot across the wood floor as I made a beeline for the poison sucker gizmo on the shelf, all the while yelling  “I got stung” to the two boys in the living room. 

One laughed.  I’m sure it did look rather comical but…

“Hey! I was stung dang it! This hurts”. 

He then showed some sympathy, suggested I wash it so okay, nice save, but oldest boy remained nose buried in a book over in the corner of the sofa. He’d yet to as much as look up and acknowledge my presence in the room even. I hobbled over closer to him while still working the poison sucker on my foot.

“Hey! I got stung!” 

Nothing.

 Once more I tried, this time in Japanese. 

ドロバチに刺された！

He looked up. 

Okay that got his attention.  I continued in that mode:

English translation:  “This is the second time this week! Look! A piece of fried chicken stung me when snorkeling on Sunday.” I said while pointing to the squiggly red bumpy line on the inside of my calf. 

I didn’t realize until he looked up again and smiled at me in a way that screamed “You’re making no sense whatsoever” if not “OMG you’re such a goof!”

“Fried chicken… fried chicken…. No. Jellyfish!” 

That was enough to bring noise outa his smile.  

Genuine laughter. 

I couldn’t help but laugh too as I defensively added

 “What? They sound the same!” 

Alas kurage (jellyfish) and karaage (fried chicken) sound nothing alike to my kids. I, on the other hand, can still easily confuse the two along with many other things, such as enema and nervous (kanchō and kinchō), or sweet bean paste and poop (anko and unko). It’s especially easy to do when excited. 

Evening now and the boy still can’t look at me without breaking out in that smile. I’m pretty sure it’s the “OMG dad’s such a goof” smile but so be it. I don’t mind it being at my expense one bit. If it gets him to smile then play it for all it’s worth.
“ Karaage ni sasareta. Mada itai desu. (I was stung by fried chicken. It still hurts.) 

Head shaking side to side he hides an ear to ear grin behind the book, but not before I see it. 

My god what a joy it is to see your kid smile after riding out some long, difficult to bordering horrific months of  pain, fear and more pain. I’m sure most taking the time to read this know what I’m referring to.  I don’t know what’s to come, but really none of us know what the next moment will bring so nothing new there. For now I’m just grateful the smiles are coming back more and more lately. Hell I’m even grateful for that danged mud hornet and piece of fried chicken. 

Or jellyfish. Whatever. 

My point, or advice even, is notice the smiles in life.

 Experience it for all its worth, 

and please,

 notice the smiles.