The car zipped up the interstate, heading for a day of adventure with his son and granddaughter. Before son could begin to talk the four-year spoke up, “Can we count blue trucks?”

“I see it, that’s one blue truck. Yea!!”

Son mumbled, “You’re counting twenty-three.”

“Look up here,” I suggested, “there’s another one on your side.”

Son interrupted, “Dad, let me ask you ….”

“Not now, dad. We’re busy counting blue trucks.”

“Sweetheart, how about a coke? I need to stop up here and get some gas.”

I pulled into the combination convenience store and truck stop. “Look over there, honey.”

“Twenty-two and twenty-three!” cried the grandchild. “We did it! Can we count some red ones now?”

“No, honey, we can’t count some red ones now. You need to give your granddaddy some rest. He’s got to get gas for the car.”

Tank filled, tummy filled, we headed out again.  

“Dad,” said the son, “Have you given any thought to …?”

I quickly replied, “I spy something green.“

I guessed it. She guessed my spy. We continued a while until I said, “I spy something gold.”

I headed the exit ramp. “I know what it is!”

“The golden arches. We’re going to McDonald’s.”

“Great,” said the son, “blue trucks, I spy, McDonald’s. This is a grandkid’s paradise. Jeez! You guys don’t let me cramp your style.”

The meal was almost finished when she asked, “Can I go play on the playground?”

“Dad, you wanted to get to the cabin by 4:00,” reminded son.

Son sipped a drink and finished Happy Meal fries while I romped with my grandchild. Back on the highway she fell asleep and son got his turn. “Finally, maybe now we can have a couple of minutes to discuss something above a pre-school level. Did you know I’m thinking of getting a PhD?”

Good quality time it was, until: “Could you play the “Crocodile Went to the Dentist” song?”

The CD was inserted, play was pushed, the song began. “Oh, the crocodile went to the dentist ….” One nanosecond after the song’s ending she cried out, “Again!”

The parson hit the replay button: “Oh, the crocodile went to the dentist ….”

“Oh, the crocodile went to the dentist.”

This time the CD, granddaughter and I formed a trio. “Oh, the crocodile went to the dentist ….”

Son leaned over asking in a low voice, “How many times can you do this?” I shrugged.  

“Not this time, sweetheart, we’re at the cabin.”

We unloaded and began preparation for our excellent adventure. Granddaughter was on the porch. Son asked, “How in the world can you do that?”

“Never get tired of her need for attention. Doing what she wants over and over. How do you do it?”

“And what quality do you and God have in common?” asked the son.

The parson smiled, “Both God and I are a lot younger than you.”