Kate the Kitty

Drew is obviously the storyteller in the family, not me. I realized this as I sat outside Rachel's bedroom last night, listening to Drew tell her the ongoing story of Kate the Kitty. Kate lives in a big house with a little girl named Elinor.

Last night's story was about how Kate the Kitty ran across a chipmunk in the backyard (or park, I couldn't quite catch it). Anyway, Kate the Kitty told the chipmunk to run away so she could catch it (something Rachel loves to do with Drew). But instead of running away, the chipmunk suggested they do something together as friends. So, they both ended up going to the chipmunk's home to have tea with the rest of chipmunk's family members. After they were done, Kate the Kitty gave chipmunk a ride back to the backyard and they agreed to play again sometime.

Moral(??): It's better to play together than for one big person to chase a little person.

No, I have no idea where Drew gets this stuff. Yes, you'd think that I -- the narrative writer -- would be able to make this up out of whole cloth. But I can't. That's why I decided in grade school that I'd never be a good fiction writer because my stories went on and on and on and on. Newspaper journalism seemed an excellent way to be a writer but within pre-established limits.

I also think it's interesting that Drew chose animals to tell stories and that he's the storyteller in the family, not Mommy. Dad, remember the continuing saga of Julie and Kathy and how they ran away to the circus to join Bozo the Clown, and all of them had adventures together? You can rest assured that Drew is carrying on the noble Daddy storytelling tradition.