"Boys, you want to hear a funny story about Daddy?"
"Yes. Yes. Yes." Tucker comes from the kitchen, and Tyler snuggles closer with his palm in his chin. These are magic words: a funny story about Daddy.
"One time, long before you were born, Daddy and I were taking a road trip. That's when you pick a place on the map and drive there in the car. Daddy did most of the driving, but he was getting tired and wanted to take a nap."
They're listening to closely. Their eyes are gleaming.
"It was my turn to drive, so we traded places. He was afraid I would drive too slow while he was sleeping, and we would have to spend more time in the car. Just before Daddy fell asleep, he teased me."
I mimic his deep, playful voice.
"Hey, Little Britches. If I wake up and you're going slower than 65 miles an hour, I'm going to fart on your face."
The boys erupt in giggles. And suddenly I'm not sure why I wanted to tell them this story, to introduce the very idea of farting on someone's face. Insert immediate misgivings.
But, it's out. They know it now. And I'm glad I told them. And they'll remember this one. And they'll know their daddy made us laugh.
By the way, I kept the speedometer above 65. For crying out loud... that's a threat I'll obey.
