Time: late afternoon
Setting: my home office

Noah, age 6, enters. . .

Noah: Is it ok if I go over to [a neighbor friend’s] house to play?

Dad (flatly): Yeah, that would be fine.

Noah (stops, concerned): Are you sad? You sound kinda sad.

Dad: Not about you playing. It’s just my work today wasn’t very fun.

Noah (matter-of-factly): Sometimes school isn’t fun either. (Heads for the door)

Noah (shouting as he leaves): Love ya! Bye!

–
I could write about how cool it was that Noah was concerned. I could write about how he tried to relate to my problems. I could write about how his tone about school was so perfect – as if he were saying, “yup, some days are better than others.” Or I could just leave it all alone and let the dialogue speak for itself without comment. That’s what I think I’ll do.