Be careful what you say...

All through dinner we had been trying to get sleepy Leo to actually stay asleep. When he cried out after our last apparent success, Paul and I were worn out Alex had already been excused from the table. Paul jokingly suggested that Alex go get him and Alex ran off upstairs.

Accepting defeat, I finished chewing and started up to Leo's room, eclipsing Alex on the steps.

"No! I'm going to get Leo! Dad told ME to get Leo!" Alex screamed, apparently not realizing the limits of his own responsibility in these matters. Alex very sincerely and earnestly thought that he was given permission to go get his brother and many tears of wounded pride flowed until an eventual compromise was reached: Alex could sing Leo a lullaby. The three boys sat in the chair in Leo's room and Leo went right out in the middle of the second song.

Perhaps Paul remembers what Alex sang. Two variations on Twinkle, Twinkle, if I recall.

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Indiana Idylls

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