That Kid

So last Friday Bryon was asked to speak at Jake's career day. Apparently his school had lined up 10 attorneys to talk to the second grade class about lawyerin'. Bryon was a little perplexed. After all, how do you make law interesting to a bunch of 8 year olds. Start with a joke, I told him. In the end, he pulled it off. Bryon has a knack for being witty in unusual circumstances.

At some point he told the kids that his job involves working with lots of other professionals - lawyers, judges, clerks, police officers, juries.

"Do you ever work with Santa?" someone asked him.

"No, not yet."

"Because Jacob says there is no Santa."

Jacob being my Jacob. My kid Jake. The kid who is now telling all his classmates there is no Santa. The kid whose name is being whispered through clenched teeth in households around Oak Cliff. That Jacob.

And once again Bryon answered the question with panache. "Well then Jacob won't be getting any Christmas presents, will he?"

Later that evening I reminded Jake that just as we'd told him to not tell his sister he no longer believed in Santa, he shouldn't be telling his classmates either. I'm not sure why he's so set on spoiling it for others - maybe because he's a little sad about it himself.