“Not feeling so shiny, Daddy.” He came over and hugged me.
“Well, if I tell you our first of three stops on our vacation would that make you smile?”
“Maybe.” I wanted to be happy for Daddy, but it was hard when my heart hurt.
“What’s your favorite thing in the whole wide world?”
Blink. Blink.Did he not know the answer? “You, Daddy.”
“Thank you,” Daddy kissed me. “But next to Daddy.”
“Sloffers, and Kiki, and George, and Patty,” I rattled off the usual suspects.
“And what are they?”
“My bestest friends.”
This time, Daddy laughed, and I finally smiled. “Silly boy, I know that, but what are they?”
“Animals?”
“Bingo!”
“We’re going somewhere with animals. Lots and lots of animals?” I didn’t want to get too excited if it was only oneor two, though I’d still love it, but more would be sooo much better.
“Yup.”
I squealed so loud that Daddy plugged his ears. “Careful, sweet boy, Daddy needs his hearing.”
“Sorry Daddy, but where are there lots of animals?”
“Ever heard of a place called the San Diego Zoo?”
This time I screamed and should probably let the neighbors know I was okay before they called the cops. “Why don’t you put on your swimsuit, and we can go outside and talk about our trip while we swim.”
“Okay, yes.” I stripped as I ran down the hallway. Daddy picked up my clothes like always, but I couldn’t help it. I was too excited. My first vacation ever and I got to spend it with animals!
And Daddy too, of course.
Daddy pushed me around on my ice cream floaty and told me all the great things he’d planned for our trip. “I figured we’d spend the first four days in San Diego. A day at the zoo then relax the next day at the beach, which is right outside our hotel room. What do you think?”
“I get to see the beach too. Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!” Was it possible to pass out from being too excited? Good thing Daddy was here to catch me if I did.
“Ha-ha yes, actually it’s two beaches. Then our next stop is….” Daddy paused too long.
“Dadddyyyyyyy!”
“Sea World!”
I screamed again. “Daddy!”
“You are one excitable boy. At Sea World I booked us the Sloth Up-Close Encounter activity.”
Laughing and crying at the same time, which I didn’t know was possible until now, had my emotions going coo-coo. “Can I get a new friend for Sloffers while we’re there?”
“Absolutely, which is why I didn’t want you to bring too much with you. Now, do you want to know our last stop?” Daddy spun the raft around and stopped it, so I faced him again.
“Yes please.” Then I could Google each stop and pre-shop, err, pre-plan the animals I absolutely had to see, though I wanted to try and see them all.
