CONVERSATIONS WITH NICK ABOUT THE END OF SUMMER

ALLISON: I can’t believe these balloons from your birthday party are still floating around.

NICK: Let’s take them outside, guys!

ALLISON: Okay, but don’t let them go. Hold onto them.

NICK: *sigh* Okay, mom. I will!

*Five Minutes Later*

ALLISON: You know what?

ME: What?

ALLISON: If you had asked me to come up with an image or metaphor for the end of summer…

ME: Yeah?

ALLISON: For the end of Nick’s early, childhood, halcyon days…

ME: It would be this?

ALLISON: Yes.

ME: We’d be lying in the grass like this, each of us holding a helium balloon.

ALLISON: Yep.

NICK: Is Summer over?

ME: ‘Fraid so, buddy. Did you have a good Summer?

NICK: Uh-huh. (pause) Summer is dying.

ALLISON: Yeah, it’s kind of…

NICK: *cough* *cough* IT’S DYING, MOMMY! OH NO! *cough* *cough* SUMMER IS DYING! AAAAGGGGHHH! SUMMER IS DYING!

ME: Nick has not yet learned when he’s inside of a metaphor.

ALLISON: No.

NICK: Oh, no!

ALLISON: Oops!

NICK: My balloon!

ALLISON: Quick! Run after it! Try to catch it!

(Nick gets up and runs after his balloon but it quickly floats away over the houses)

NICK: How we get it back?

ME: I don’t think we can, buddy.

NICK: Maybe it will go to the ocean. Maybe it will go to Cape May and we can go there and find it.

ALLISON: I think it’s gone, buddy.

NICK: Where does it go?

ALLISON: We don’t know. The wind is just going to blow it somewhere.

NICK: We can get in the car and go get it.

ME: I’m sorry, pal. There’s no way to get it.

NICK:  It’s a mystery and we just have to follow the clues!

ALLISON: Let’s just say it’s going to float away.

NICK: Okay. Well… IT’S OKAY. DON’T BE SAD, GUYS! KNOW WHY?

ALLISON: Why?

NICK: CAUSE I THINK… KNOW WHAT? I THINK SOMEONE’S GONNA FIND IT AND THEY WILL REMEMBER US!

ME: Maybe.

ALLISON: Come here.

(Allison hugs Nick)

NICK: I think we should go inside now. I don’t want the other balloons to fly away yet.

ALLISON: Good idea.