Cats, Rats, & Bats
A few nights ago, I was lying down next to my nephew, Little Britches, while he was going to sleep. We have some amazing conversations as he falls to sleep. Little Britches is in kindergarten and is learning all his letters and the sounds that go with letters. Part of learning about sounds is learning what sounds rhyme.
That particular evening, Little Britches asked, “Doc, are you allergic to cats?”
Little Britches knows that I am, but was using the question as a conversation starter. Have you noticed that lots of times, kids asked questions just to get us to talk to them, not because they need answers.
I told Little Britches, “Yes. I’m allergic to cats.”
“Doc, if you are allergic to cats, you must be allergic to rats. Are you allergic to rats?”
“I don’t know if I’m allergic to rats. I’ve never been tested to see if I’m allergic to rats.”
“Doc, if you are allergic to cats and rats, you must be allergic to bats. Are you allergic to bats?”
“I don’t know if I’m allergic to bats. I’ve never been tested to see if I’m allergic to bats.”
“Why haven’t you been tested to see if you are allergic to rats and bats if you are allergic to cats?”
Little Britches had me for a moment or two. “Well, I guess the doctor didn’t test me to see if I was allergic to rats and bats because he didn’t think I’d be around rats or bats.”
“Doc, if you are allergic to cats, you have to be allergic to rats and bats,” responded Little Britches as he drifted off to sleep.
In his own way with the knowledge he had, Little Britches was making connections. Admittedly, he was making connections that a medical doctor would not make, but . . . maybe I should be tested to see if I’m allergic to bats and rats. After all, I am allergic to cats.
