Dollars and Dreams
Child Lucas and his father don't understand eachother.
“Dad, why are there coins in the water fountain?”
“People throw coins in there and make wishes. They think it makes their wish come true.”
As he explained this, Lawrence watched his son. If he didn’t know better, he would swear his son was actually pondering his response. Of course, three year olds don’t ponder, and Lucas was just a normal three year old.
“Does it?” he asked innocently, completely unaware that his father had stopped paying attention to him. He was watching a young couple with another son about Lucas’ age. Their son was bouncing up and down the stairs to the fountain laughing as the fountains shot water into the air.
“Well does it?” Lucas insisted.
“Does it what son?”
“Does it make your wish come true?”
“Oh!” Lawrence hadn’t expected his son to remain on the subject as long as he had, but since his son seemed genuinely curious, he handed the boy a dime. “Here, why don’t you find out?” he asked, and Lucas walked happily to the waters edge with the coin grasped in his hand. “I wish...” he started, but Lawrence, behind him, told him that you couldn’t speak your wish aloud or it would never really come true. Lucas looked at the dime for a minute and then threw it into the water where it joined hundreds of other coins sitting waiting for dreams to come true. They stood there for a minute watching the other families stop to throw pocket change in the water. The other three year old was running in circles around his mother who looked like she needed a break from the child. Another family with a girl around Lucas’ age, and another daughter who was a couple years older was eating ice-cream cones. The younger child was making an absolute mess with her ice cream.
“Come on.” Lawrence finally stopped watching the other families, “we have to get mom a birthday present.”
Lucas put his hand in his father’s and they walked towards the mall.
“There’s a sale at compushack,” Lucas tried walking that direction.
“How’d you know that?”
Lucas pointed at the sign.
“You can’t read!” Lawrence was clearly agitated, so Lucas left the subject alone walking towards compushack. Obviously, his wish that Lawrence would realize he wasn’t as dumb as Lawrence thought he was hadn’t come true. Truth was, he’d taught himself to read a year ago by watching the closed captions on the TV. His mom wanted a larger hard drive for her birthday, and Lucas knew where to get that. His dad obviously did too, but was surprised to find himself following his three year old to get it. While his dad discussed the reasons for needing a new one with a sales rep, Lucas listened carefully. He didn’t really understand all the numbers and letters being tossed around yet, but he was certain that if he could listen long enough he would understand.
“Dad, why are there coins in the water fountain?”
“People throw coins in there and make wishes. They think it makes their wish come true.”
As he explained this, Lawrence watched his son. If he didn’t know better, he would swear his son was actually pondering his response. Of course, three year olds don’t ponder, and Lucas was just a normal three year old.
“Does it?” he asked innocently, completely unaware that his father had stopped paying attention to him. He was watching a young couple with another son about Lucas’ age. Their son was bouncing up and down the stairs to the fountain laughing as the fountains shot water into the air.
“Well does it?” Lucas insisted.
“Does it what son?”
“Does it make your wish come true?”
“Oh!” Lawrence hadn’t expected his son to remain on the subject as long as he had, but since his son seemed genuinely curious, he handed the boy a dime. “Here, why don’t you find out?” he asked, and Lucas walked happily to the waters edge with the coin grasped in his hand. “I wish...” he started, but Lawrence, behind him, told him that you couldn’t speak your wish aloud or it would never really come true. Lucas looked at the dime for a minute and then threw it into the water where it joined hundreds of other coins sitting waiting for dreams to come true. They stood there for a minute watching the other families stop to throw pocket change in the water. The other three year old was running in circles around his mother who looked like she needed a break from the child. Another family with a girl around Lucas’ age, and another daughter who was a couple years older was eating ice-cream cones. The younger child was making an absolute mess with her ice cream.
“Come on.” Lawrence finally stopped watching the other families, “we have to get mom a birthday present.”
Lucas put his hand in his father’s and they walked towards the mall.
“There’s a sale at compushack,” Lucas tried walking that direction.
“How’d you know that?”
Lucas pointed at the sign.
“You can’t read!” Lawrence was clearly agitated, so Lucas left the subject alone walking towards compushack. Obviously, his wish that Lawrence would realize he wasn’t as dumb as Lawrence thought he was hadn’t come true. Truth was, he’d taught himself to read a year ago by watching the closed captions on the TV. His mom wanted a larger hard drive for her birthday, and Lucas knew where to get that. His dad obviously did too, but was surprised to find himself following his three year old to get it. While his dad discussed the reasons for needing a new one with a sales rep, Lucas listened carefully. He didn’t really understand all the numbers and letters being tossed around yet, but he was certain that if he could listen long enough he would understand.