Someone threw out an amazing box over by the bakery garbage bin. I had the babies stand at the door so they could see me, so they knew I was just going to get this box. It was huge and they watched as I dragged it into the house. They got so excited when I told them it will make a most excellent boat. I cut down the sides and with a marker we put the names Linus and Boo on the sides. They giggled and with their crayons, they draw some stick figures and scribbles of themselves. With the leftover cardboard, I make us nifty pirate hats. “It’s our new boat!” They laugh and clap their little hands and squeal to get into it. We put on our pirate hats and I thought I would cry watching how happy they are.
There’s room for me, with Linus and Boo sitting in front of me, both taking turns being the “Capin” and sitting at the front. We sing “Row, row, row your boat…” and lean side to side, as we are being tossed around by huge imaginary waves. We lean further and further on each side until the boat tips over and we all spill out of it, laughing and the babies crying “Again Mom!” So the afternoon goes on with “Row, row, row your boat” and falling into the imaginary water again and again, until they are tired and worn out. When we’re done, we put the boat away in the corner, so it’s not in the way. It’s time for a nap. Over a few days, the sides of the box are getting a beating but we play harder, and laugh louder.
He comes home from work and he’s cranky. After dinner, I’m doing the dishes and I hear a dragging sound and Linus is saying “Our boat Dad! Play in our boat. Get in Dad. Nina and Boo too. Wo, wo, wo the boat and we fall in the wadder Dad.” I can hear them falling on the floor to show him how. I look in on them, thinking how funny theses little ones are. He tells them he’s tired and to but the box away. Linus wails “it a boat Dad! Come…” and she pulls at him to come and try it. He gets up, and I’m amazed he will do this. The babies clap. He turns the boat over and stomps on it, smashes it all up… He’s yelling that it’s not a boat, it’s a stupid box and he sits back down.
The babies are so stunned that at first they just stand there. Then the shrieking starts. I try to console them, but they won’t stop. Linus goes over to him and sobs “Daddy bad, boke Nina Boo boat!” and she kicks him in the shins. Not to be outdone, Boo does the same thing, but when she tries to kick him, she loses her balance and falls flat on her butt. I see him move. I grab Boo but I’m not quick enough to get Linus and he grabs her by the arm and shakes her. Over her screams, he yells at her that she will not disrespect him. I pull her away and take them into their room. They’re inconsolable. I tell them they can’t kick Daddy. “Daddy boke Nina Boo boat…” is all Linus can say. It takes a long time but they finally cry themselves to sleep. I return to see him pitching the “Nina Boo boat” out the back door.
Next -> Unkind Lessons
Tags: cardboard box, cruelty, pirates, row row row your boat, stick figures