A New Short Story, by Mariano

Since most of our car rides involve my driving and Mariano stuck in isolation (e.g. the car seat), I am unable to read books to Mariano--his favorite activity. Instead, I've started making up stories and tell them to him. His favorites contain characters that include himself, his brother Matthew, his sister Sabrina, and monsters or "bad guys."

On our way to church today, he asked for an old favorite (Matthew is an inventor and tries to make a machine that stops aging. When he tries is out on himself, he ends up turning himself into a baby and then Mariano becomes the big brother). When I finished, Mariano asked for another one but I turned the tables on him.

"How about if YOU tell me one this time?"

"Ok," Mariano said. And thus began his first story from his own imagination. I swear these are his words and even his own adjectives! =)

One day there was a little baby and her name was Mama. She lived in a big, pretty house and she loved it. Then one day a big scary MONSTER came along and moved into her house. The baby mama was soooo sad and she cried 'waaa waaa waaa' and then the monster threw her out of the house and she cried more and made water. The baby mama was on the street and a bad guy came over and moved into the house. The end.

"What?" I said. "Doesn't the baby mama get her house back?"

"No, the bad guy moved in," Mariano said as if I really hadn't been paying attention.

"But then where does the baby mama end up living?"

"I don't know," Mariano admitted.

Well, it's a start. At least it has conflict even if it's without a happy ending. =)