Wet Oatmeal Kisses

 

One of these days you'll explode

and shout to all the kids,

"Why don't you just grow up

and act your age!"

And they will...

 

Or, "You guys get outside

and find something to do ‑‑

with out hurting each other

And don't slam the door!"

 

And they don't.

 

You'll straighten their bedrooms

until it's all neat and tidy,

toys displayed on the shelf,

hangers in the closer,

animals caged.

You'll yell,

"Now I want it to say this way!"

 

And it will...

 

You will prepare a perfect dinner

with a salad athat hasn't

had all the olives picked out

and a cake with

no finger traces in the icing

and you'll say,

"Now this is a meal for company."

 

And you will eat it alone...

 

You'll yell,

"I want complete privacy on the phone.

No screaming,

Do you hear me?"

 

And no one will answer.

 

No more plastic tablecloths stained

No more dandelion bouquets.

No more iron‑on patches.

No more wet, knotted shoelaces,

muddy boots or

rubber bands for ponytails.

 

Imagine.... a lipstick with a point,

no babysitters for New Years Eve,

washing clothes only once a week,

no PTA meetings or silly school plays

where your child is a tree,

no car pools,

blaring stereos or

forgotten lunch money.

 

No more Christmas presents made

of library paste and toothpicks,

no wet oatmeal kisses,

no more tooth fairy,

no more giggles in the dark,

scraped knees to kiss

or sticky fingers to clean

 

Only a voice asking,

"Why don't you grow up?"

 

And the silence echoes:

"I did"

 

~Author Unknown