a conversation

While Gabriel was climbing into bed, I stood by his dresser and picked up a piece of black construction paper folded over itself many times and sealed with copious amounts of scotch tape. There was something heavy and hard inside.

I said Gabriel, what is this?

-It's paper, folded around a rock.

Oh. ...Do you need it? Can I throw it away?

-Well, it's actually a rock I found a long time ago, in 2012. It's the oldest rock I have. So I'd really like to keep it.

Okay.

-Mama, I found it in the middle of 2012. So that is more than a year and a half ago! Which is pretty old for a rock.

Yes.

-And actually - actually - I found it outside, so it's probably a lot older than that even.

You're probably right.

-I should definitely keep it. ... Mama, doesn't it seem weird that it will be two thousand and twenty one day?

Yes! It seems very weird.

-And I'll probably be like, ten. Or maybe eleven.

You will be eleven.

Then I showed him how to add five, the age he is now, to six on his fingers. Then he told me that thirty plus thirty is sixty, because three plus three is six. And also fifty plus fifty is one hundred! After a few more exciting math revelations, he told me a little about sharks, and then I told him it was time to have his routine and go to sleep.