ONLY SON AND I

strapped The Small Actor and The Little Actor into their respective car seats yesterday morning, and the four of us set out for The Family Reunion. Other members of this family (of my origin) were coming via other vehicles, and from various other locations.  All twenty of the travelers planned to end up at the home of my brother and his wife and two daughters, amid the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia.
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Our little group spent hours and hours riding the road.
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Some of us listened to The Cat in the Hat and Horton Hears a Who on CD (multiple times).
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All of us ate snacks.
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Some of us read The Sweetest Fig aloud (multiple times).
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All of us ate french fries at Burger King (but only once).
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Some of us took lengthy naps.
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All of us noticed U.S. flags flying along our route.
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Some of us got surprise toys pulled out of a bag every once in a while.
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All of us listened to a CD of children singing Christmas songs (multiple times).
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All of us, Reader Dear, visited the Virginia Welcome Center,
where only the smaller two shook hands with the puffy-skirted lady, and puzzled over the soldier who lacked hands.

Also puzzling to these two were the mixed messages of love and hate.  (Er, well, hanging near the apple display was the Virginia state flag.)          

"What is this?!" questioned The Little Actor.  "Why is that man standing on top of that other man?  Did he kill him?!"  His eyes grew large.

 "Was he a bad guy?!" he asked, in wonderment.

 

"Hmm. Well, I guess someone thought so!" I said.

What I wanted to say:  Sic Semper Tyrannis means We're Just Playing









All of us got back in the car and continued on our way.
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All of us got exceedingly weary of the trip.
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And, then, finally (as darkness fell), all of us (very fortunately) arrived at our destination!