Fletcher Augustus DeRouenA diary for our son, by Joe and Andrea DeRouen Friday, September 22, 2006Andee bought a new comforter for our bed. When Fletcher saw the new comforter, he asked what happened to the old one. We told him it had a rip in it and that we didn't need it anymore. He was still curious what we'd done with it. The conversation went something like this:"Where's the old comforter with the rip?" Fletcher asked. "It's in the back of the car," Andee said, "so we can donate it to Salvation Army." "Why?" "So other people can have it." "Who will have it?" "We donate things so that poor people can use them." "Poor people like things with rips?" he asked. Andee and I broke into laughter. As far as I know, poor people don't enjoy sleeping under a ripped comforter any more than rich or middle-class people enjoy sleeping under a ripped comforter. And, really, it's probably poor form to refer to whoever ends up with our castoff comforter as "poor people." But the whole thing made me laugh and, later, thing about just how influential language can be. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find some more ripped stuff - an old shirt, perhaps, and more than a few pairs of socks - to give away to the poor. .: posted by Joe 9:41 PM |
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