The Pogo Stick

“Daddy?”

The door to my study cracks open. A small disheveled boy in a faded power rangers t-shirt peeks his head around the corner. I raise my eyebrows in question. He is unsure of his welcome. My study is strictly off limits when the door is shut.

“Daddy’s busy, Roman.”

The slightly harried tones of my wife race down the hallway. Moments later the little brown headed boy scrambles into my lap, followed closely by Allie. Her blonde hair falls in soft curls from her ponytail. She complains about the fine quality of her locks but I love the feel of it running through my fingers.

“Sorry, babe” she says. “It’s little man’s bedtime.”

“I need to talk to daddy!” he persists, wrapping his arms around my chest.

“It’s alright. I’ll bring him up in a minute.” I say.

She kisses both of us on the head, her eyes distant. She’s no doubt contemplating what she can get done while the little terror is occupied. The door shuts softly.

“Well, what is it Roman?”

“I need a polo stick.”

I grin and cough, to cover the laugh that threatens. Roman looks up at me, earnest and serious.

“What’s a polo stick?” I ask.

“You know, daddy! You bounce on it! Diego has one and I need it.”

Diego is no doubt one among many cartoon characters designed specifically to market overpriced toys.

“A pogo stick?”

He nods emphatically. “And it hasta be green.”

“Not red?”

“No! Green!”

“Well… don’t you think you’re…” I rack my brain trying to think of an equivalent to ‘little’ or ‘young’ that won’t damage a six year old’s sensibilities. “… too busy learning to ride your bike?” I finish lamely.

“Diego does both, daddy.”

Of course he does. I try a different tactic.

“You have plenty of toys, Roman.”

“Not a pogo stick!”

A pout is beginning to form in the corners of his mouth. I glance at the pile of ungraded papers with a mental sigh. I can tell when there’s a battle I’m not going to win.

“I have an idea, little man.”

He looks up at me with suspicion.

“You go upstairs and ask mommy if you can have a green pogo stick.”
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This is the part where I'm resisting saying anything.... it's so hard!!!

'Quel