The Shower
Patches had an unpleasant dose of reality this evening. It began when Kiki and Gleek decided to shower together instead of separately. The shrieks and giggles (and splashes and puddles) from the bathroom convinced Patches that “Shower” was the coolest thing going this evening. So when the girls got out and I sent Link in for his shower, Patches was right on his heels to participate in the fun. I helped Patches undress amid giggles and joyful cries of “Show-a”. Then he took one step into the shower and under the stream of water. Water-in-the-face is cause for major Patches sadness these days. He never used to mind and in fact used to shower with me very happily. I don’t know what changed, but somehow Patches remembered “Show-a” as a happy-fun place and completely forgot the water part. Tears ensued. Many tears. I rescued him from his terror-frozen position in the water stream and wrapped him in a towel. He was angry with me for removing him and cried “Show-a!”, but when I offered to let him get back in, he didn’t want anything to do with that watery chamber of fear. For the next 15 minutes while I dried him off and dressed him Patches continued to cry for the lost joys of “Show-a” and the way it betrayed him. Fortunately a snack, a story, and a bedtime made everything better.