An Emma Story

I usually listen to NPR in the car when the kids are all hooked up to their various devices: Nintendo DSes, iPods, even the occasional book. But as we drive back from Emma’s dermatologist appointment (plantar wart on her foot), my favorite station, KPCC, is on and she is listening. 

“This is All Things Considered, I’m Michelle Norris…”

“… and I’m Robert Siegel,” say my audio companions.

“Robert Seagull,” says Emma. “His name is Robert Seagull.” She finds this just hilarious and starts to giggle. “Robert Seagull is talking. He’s a talking seagull.” Claire snorts with laughter too.

“Seagulls can’t talk!”

“Yeah he can, he’s a talking seagull. I’m Robert Seagull, squawk, squawk!” They are dissolving in peals of laughter. “Watch out for the seagull poop!”

Meanwhile, Robert Siegel has started reporting about a story from Iran. Over the laughter, Emma hears a woman speaking a foreign language on the radio.

“I’m Robert Seagull, and now here is a woman speaking Spanish,” she says in her broadcaster’s voice.

“Actually, I think that’s Farsi,” I say offhandedly.

“FARTSY? Did you say FARTSY?” she screams. The giggles are ridiculous now.

“Farsi. That’s the language they speak in Iran,” I say, to utterly no avail.

“You said Fartsy! Ha haaaa!” They are both giggling now, squealing about seagulls speaking Fartsy language. By this time I am also laughing so hard that tears are squeezing out of the corners of my eyes.

Just another day in the minivan.