Chris thinks back. “Because I hoped it would make Iris and me friends.”
“And what have you been doing after you got out the stick?”
“What do you mean?” The kid knows his father well enough to realise he's not making small talk. He's going somewhere.
“You took out the church. And I know you've been
prying for a tea light.” Chris shrugs his shoulders, so what.
“Why did you do that ?”
“I don't know. I thought it would be more fun.” The boy tries to wriggle himself off his father's lap, but Collin holds him too tight for that. “Now listen to me, Chris” The boy sighs. There's no escaping a serious talk now. He finally looks his father in the eyes.
“When
you got Iris, you said you'd do all you could to become friends,
right?” A distinct nod.
“And
when you took out the Iris incense you said the same thing: all would
be for your friendship with Iris. But that's not what you did.”
“I
didn't?”
“No
kid. Why did you take out the church?”
That's an easy answer, because it would be more
fun than just burning the stick in the holder.
“And
why did you put the steeple on?”
“For
the same reason.” Dad simply doesn't understand about life, Chris
thinks.
“Yes,
but I saw you measure it and you knew it wouldn't be right. But you
put it on anyway. That's how greedy you were for fun. And what
happened?”
“The
fire went out. But we lit it again.” Chris added the last tag in a
hurry, to stop his father from commenting. But there's no stopping
him.
“And
why did you blow hard into Iris' ear?”
Chris' face tightens. So Dad had seen it.
“Well?”
Collin says it with a slight laugh in his voice, to coax the child
to be open.
“Because
I thought it would be fun.”
“Aha.”
Collin inhales. Searching for the right words, so Chris will
understand. “So two times already you almost spoiled what you want
most. You want to be friends with Iris the Dog, and you wanted to
enjoy seeing Iris the Stick burn. But your greed for fun almost
spoiled it.”
“Yeah,
I know, the flame died.” Chris doesn't mention the dog, but Collins
knows that he understands the parallel. “A stick can be lighted
again. But Iris may remember all the times you upset him with your
'fun'.” Collin bends forward again. “He
may not be willing to light up the flame of friendship again.”
Chris is used to his father's figurative speech, he understands. “Do
you want to lose your friendship over some cheap fun?”
“No
Dad.” Chris is getting bored. But Collins has more arrows to shoot.
Asks the boy why he had popped the ashes from the incense stick.
“That
was not for fun! I was afraid it would burn too fast.”
“And
it didn't. But your action almost spoiled something else. And all for
nothing as I told you s... Ho!”
Chris has managed to slip off his father's lap,
but hasn't escaped his hold yet. He faces his father, with a silent
plea to stop the sermon. But his father wants to finish his point. “I
just want you to realise that either fun or fear can spoil what you
have. Or what you hope to get. Just listen to your old man. And
believe me that Iris will be your friend soon.”
The
talk is over, and the two look at the incense. The stick is a lot
smaller now. “Now Chris,” Collin signals him. “Now you can put
on the spire.”
“Why
now? ” The child is surprised at this sudden twist.
“Because
now is the time for it. You can have fun, but don't force it. The
right time will come to you.”
It is doubtful whether Chris heard that. He
already tottered over to the church and now places the spire over the
burning stick. He keeps looking at it for some time, with something
on his mind. Collin, pen on his paper, notices the lack of joy.
“What
is it, Chrissie?”
'Chrissie' turns around. Explains how he had
hoped to see the smoke come out of the church windows once the
steeple would be closing up the tower. But this incense doesn't
produce a lot of smoke.
“And what were you thinking?” Collin hopes
to pursue his metaphor.
“I was thinking of lighting a different
kind of incense. I know the lavender one smokes a lot better.”
One corner of Collin's mouth twitches. “And
are you going to?”
The boys face turns thoughtful. He shakes his
head. “No. This one smells good. The other one might make your eyes
burn. Or those of Iris. ”
Collin's grin broadens. “Good for you. It may
not be as you expected it to be, but at least you give it a chance to
show itself. So you can love it for itself. And maybe , maybe ... it
turns out better than your dream.”
The boy smiles back at his father. Maybe... his
father knows more about life than he, Chris, gave him credit for.
“Now, do you still want to trade Iris for Uncle
Robert's dog ?”
“No Dad, I'm sorry I said that.” He walks over
to embrace his father, to show that he really is sorry about the
remark. When they are through hugging, Collin holds him at arm's
length. “In the middle drawer of the kitchen cabinet, you'll find
tea candles. And when it's burning, you may turn off the light.”
Chris almost trips over his own feet for joy, while speeding to the
kitchen. Collin shakes his head laughing. Should he tell the boy that
if you stop trying to control your life, it will reward you with some
unimagined surprises? No, he thinks, his boy will find out for
himself.
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