
Maymay: Why is there only one shortest day of the year?
Me: Can this wait until I have coffee? (I began the long stumble to the coffee pot)
Maymay: My teacher told me that on December 21 it will be the shortest day of the whole year. But why? Why is there only one?
Me: Because there can only be one shortest day. The other days lead up to it, but there can only be one. It's like when there is a contest. There can only be one winner. (I can smell the coffee and now I'm feeling a bit more awake and confident I have ended this particular discussion.)
Maymay: (She just stared at me for a good minute. I could almost see the thought process at work. I saw the exact moment when she knew what she was going to say. She let out a long deep sigh, looked at me and said...) Momma. How did you become a teacher? (Then she walked away shaking her head.)
Good to know I can completely disappoint my child in three minutes flat.