The Great Doubloon Story

Happy Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday! I don't know what it is about this day, but ever since I taught Kindergarten I felt the need to celebrate it like only a Mom can. Since my kids are still fairly young, I can get away with this silliness. But before I go into one of my tangents, I decided that I would share how we celebrated Mardi Gras last year (which by the way, shall go down in history).

Potter was in Pre-school, and thank goodness his teacher was just as crazy as his Mom. Anyway, he spent the day doing Mardi Gras crafts, then was super excited when he was sent home with beads and doubloons (Which he swore were actual gold coins). Who was I to tell him differently?

We were having a great afternoon, until I heard a scream coming from the bathroom. What could possibly be going on? I opened the door only to find Potter with his pants down leaning over the toilet. "Are you sick," I asked.

"Mommy, my gold coins are all gone," he said.

"Well where did you put them?" I asked.

"Mommy, the toilet took them. When I flushed, they slipped out of my hand, and now they're all gone. You got to get them Mommy. Use the plunger."

On one hand it's nice to think that you're children believe that you are capable of anything. On the other hand it can really suck when your children think you're capable of anything.

I looked at the toilet, then looked at Potter (face still streaming with tears).

I grabbed the plunger, and went to work. Ten minutes later, with perspiration running down my back, I decided to quit. (No doubloons).

Hence, the Great Doubloon Story created and told to Potter, Mardi Gras 2008:

Once Upon a Time there lived in the deep ocean a very poor fish named Marty Graz. He wasn't able to afford all the nice things that his other fishy friends had, but he was still a very happy fish.

On the other side of the world there lived a very happy boy named Potter. Potter lived a very rich life, so much so that he carried his gold coins wherever he went. One day by mistake, Potter left go of his gold coins while using the bathroom. They were flushed and never seen again.

The coins traveled through pipes, streams, rivers, and finally to the deepest depths of the ocean. It was there that a little fish by the name of Marty Graz found the gold coins.

"What to do, what to do,"he thought. "I know, I'll have a parade and call it Marty Graz. And I'll share my new found fortune with my friends.

The smile on Potter's face was priceless.

Being a storyteller has it's perks. Being a poor fish at sea has it's rewards. But being a Mommy is the best job in the world!