Paper Tucks

“Tuck,” he says, and points at the pen holder on the desk.

There is nothing near the plastic box of pens that looks like a truck, but I try to become two years old and imagine it. In the pen container is a yellow highlighter and a black pen, and near it is a dollar bill, a business card, an envelope of photos, and the computer's external hard drive.

Miles points harder and becomes more adamant. I point to almost all the items, and he tells me no to each one. He finally stretches his too short arm as close to the business card as he can. “This?” I ask in disbelief, and he says "Yeah."

With the card in my hand I twice confirm that the flat piece of paper is a truck. Twice he yeses me.

My son then points to the minuscule UPS logo on the bottom of the business card, next to the small FedEx logo. He looks at me and says, "Tuck." Miles recognized the quarter-inch square UPS logo and I guess associated it with the giant chocolate brown trucks that appear in our condo driveway at least twice a day.

Tuck, he says again, gently assuring me he’s right. And I think, my son can read! He is a genius!