The Question

The Question

“I’m going to ask you an important question.”

Six year old Tim looked at his Grandmother. “OK...?” he said.

“Do you swear to tell the truth?”

“No.”

Gram started to talk, but then fumbled as she realized what he’s said. “No? You won’t tell the truth?” she asked.

“No! I will tell the truth! But I’m not allowed to swear. You know that Grammie!”

“I’m sorry, Honey! This swearing is different.”

“I’m not allowed to say any swear words. Mom says even the people that use them shouldn’t use them! Maybe their mothers didn’t teach them that, what do you think?”

Before she could think of an appropriate answer he started up again. “I do try hard to remember which words not to use. Some of them don’t seem to mean anything, like gazoontight! People say that a lot but I don’t even know what a Gazoon is so how would I know if it was tight? I do try really hard to be good. I just don’t know all the rules yet. When are you old enough to know all the rules anyway?”

Gram stumbled out an answer, “I’m not really sure...”

“So can I go play now? I won’t swear, you know, unless I don’t know it’s a swear.”

“Sure!” Gram said.

Tim’s mother came in. “Did you find out if Tim was fooling around with your jewelry box? He needs to know he’s not allowed to get into your stuff!”

“Oh yeah, the jewelry box...”

Kim started laughing. “He did it didn’t he! He talked you right out of the subject! He really doesn’t mean to, he’s just so good at it!

“Yes,” Gram said, “maybe when he grows up, he’ll go into politics...”

Tim found them laughing their heads off, they told him he wouldn’t understand.