Duck Soup

To my son Tommy,

Last night you were being watched by your Grandpa Leo.  Everyone else was at the St Agnes Mens' Club Basket and Bag Bingo.  Your dad was working the charity event and all the women in your life were attending, so Grandpa Leo was the only option to watch you.  Trust me, he appreciated this opportunity because otherwise he would have to have been playing bingo next to your Grandma Roro.  Bingo isn't his thing.

It is always a crap shoot as to what you learn when I leave you alone with any of the Downey men.  Let's just say that the lessons you may receive are unique and possibly eccentric.  Last night was no different.

Evidently you taught Grandpa Leo about the talking duck.  The talking duck is another recurring character in your nightmares.  This completes the trifecta for talking about nightmares this week.  The talking duck often escapes your sleep time dreams and invades your waking imagination.  He will keep you from going up to your room to get toys.  Sometimes you say he is a friend, other times an enemy.

When we got home from our event, your grandfather gave us a run down of the night and mentioned that you and he discussed making duck soup.  I laughed because I knew the talking duck must have come up in conversation.  Your Grandpa Leo told you to tell me what you have in store for this duck menace.  Out of the blanket that you were wearing like a cape, you pull this plastic pirate dagger.  You explain that if the duck gets too close that we are having duck soup for dinner.  I am sure your granddad spent a good thirty minutes looking for a gun like toy before settling on the blade.

Even though he was having a bit of fun with you, because I know it wasn't coincidence that he kept referring to Duck Soup, your grandfather loves you immensely.  In the process, he empowered you to defeat this fear.  He used the tools of imagination, with the help of some cheap plastic props, to defeat one of your arch enemies of your imagination.  It is a good thing this talking duck most likely has AFLAC.  As for your grandfather, if you view him in comparison to Groucho Marx, you will understand more and more of his wisdom.

"Clear? Huh! Why a four-year-old child could understand this report! Run out and find me a four-year-old child, I can't make head or tail of it." Rufus T. Firefly (aka Groucho Marx in Duck Soup)

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo