Howdy,
I don’t know how to write — even as a quote — one of the best sentences I heard yesterday (Scripture itself being some of the others). It’s the Interjection! that’s hard, tricky to get entirely right, tough to capture its power, its treasure.
Just a breath. Inspiration.
Ahh! Interjection, one of those lovely Eight Parts of Speech remembered so fondly by so many, from that favorite lesson in grammar, a favorite section of language arts. Right? Wasn’t that a favorite part? PoS. English class? No? Hmmm …
I’m going to call it … excitement being breathed in, sucked in making a sound. An interjection.
“Whh-huhp, there’s a seat right here, dad!”
Breathing in and getting out words at the same time. Yeah, that sounds like our kids.
This time it was two-year-old Titus. (I have to write two-year-old now, because before February greets, he’ll be three-year-old Titus.)
“Whh-huhp, there’s a seat right here, dad!” Titus said with a sucked in excitement and carrying great enthusiasm through the sentence. The “right here” was where he was sliding over from, just a bit, to give me just the right amount of space between the arm of the couch and his new spot.
Ti was giving me not only his seat but a spot next to himself, and he used all of himself to express his interest and eagerness to have me there, “right here.”
I accepted, with no objection. Interjecting a “Thank you, Ti!” and squeezed in.
Titus smiled. He’s a world-class smiler. If you’ve been along these last three years you’ve heard us call him “Smiley Ti” from time to time. Delightful. So, yes, he gave one of the smiles, happy with his accomplishment of anchoring me next to him on the couch.
I suppose he anticipated I’d read him the part about the Eight Parts of Speech.
Can you catch the interjection? A sort of double-pump inhalation as my son actively gave his gift. A place and kind words. An invitation. For dad.
“Whh-huhp, there’s a seat right here, dad!”
How do you write that?
How could you not try anyway?
—Billy
Reading. Writing. Living.
Word Count: 52,273 / On Pace: 52,250 / Year’s Goal: 200,000
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