Opening
February 20, 2013
My son has been a little melty lately. As in, he is prone to melt downs. I think it has something to do with his being at the cusp of language. Something in his world isn’t how he wants it to be, or some feeling wells up that he doesn’t quite know how to manage. He can say a few words and knows the meanings of several more, but there is an infinite number of things beyond his grasp. It’s beyond anyone’s grasp, forever, but eventually we learn to make some kind of truce with our inability to translate the world into words. He hasn’t gotten there yet. When there’s something that needs to be said and no way to say it, he gets upset. When this happens, I try to get him thinking about something else. This photo is from a few days ago, when I handed him a pack of the new 2013 baseball cards. He got quiet, attentive, interested in what was in his grasp. I had to get the flap open a little, but he took it from there. We’ve opened packs before. Thanks to Jack, baseball cards, present tense—baseball cards for pure fun—are back in my life for the first time since childhood. When Jack got the wrapper off, he took it over to the sink and pointed to the cupboard below, where we keep the garbage bin. I opened the child lock on the cupboard and he put the wrapper in the trash. He had the baseball cards in his other hand, but he knew that the wrapper and the cards were different. The cards mean something. He started handing them to me, and I read aloud the names of the guys we got.
Cardboard Gods 
Great bonding moment between father and son. One day the two of you are gonna look back on this moment and it’ll remind him how great of a dad you are. I wish my Pops would have busted packs with me when I was a kid.
That is so Cool. Thanks Josh.
Gives me goosebumps just reading it. Imagining the eye contact when he motions to garbage, knowing that there is more to it…but first things first…”I need to get this wrapper out of my hand.”
What a great connection between generations.
We were just talking about your book this am.
Britten has started reading it and was loving all the Randolph and East Randolph stories. She also remembers the tree in the house. I’m sure she was there with Ms Barbara Ernst who we all call Auntie Barbie!
Thanks again for writing such a lovely book and glad the card tradition is contuining!
Kathy and Kevin KIilduff
Thanks for the good thoughts, sanjosefuji and tzig.
Great to hear from you, Kathy and Kevin! Thank you so much for letting me know you liked the book.
Awesome. I didn’t give baseball cards to my kids until they were about 4 and half (start of baseball season).
Regarding children: every time a new skill is learned, there’s a period of euphoria where things are smooth, followed by when mastery is achieved and realization that something else is beyond the grasp.
.. and so it begins.
Be-vac-qua.
Wolf Burt here ! Awesome ! First post of 2013 !!! Couldn’t of done it
any better and on my Birthday Feb. 20th ! i am Little late commenting !
Made my St. Patty’s Day…Thank you ! God Bless the children ! and baseball,
and of course Baseball Cards ! Your best post ever !!!!