February, 2014

Since November, Tommy’s big brother Paul, and his adorable little girlfriend (fiancee) Laura have worked for Ottawa’s Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo, doing travelling zoo shows all over Eastern Canada, returning to Ottawa on days off. Their comings and goings have been frequent and unpredictable, as their schedule is quite varied.

Tommy is always happy to see them, but it’s hard to say goodbye. Lately, he expresses these feelings by saying, frequently, loudly, and somewhat angrily, “I told Paul and Laura to pack up their stuff and leave for their travelling zoo show!!!” He was saying this over and over tonight, and Peter asked him to stop saying it. To which Tommy replied “SILENCE, you old fool!” (Knowing this had to be a movie quote, I googled it, and found it is from Frollo, Hunchback of Notre Dame)

Later, after he went to bed, he texted me asking when they would be here next. I texted back that they might be back on March 10 or 11. To which he texted “March 10th, 2014! I’m running this place, and if Paul and Laura think they’re gonna fiddle with my schedule, they’d better pack up their stuff and be gone!”
followed shortly afterwards by another text: “What do I mean “I’m running this place, and if Paul and Laura think they’re gonna fiddle with my schedule, they’d better pack up their stuff and be gone!”? (again- movie quote, googled it, and found Sword in the Stone: Merlin: I have come to educate the Wart.
Sir Ector: Oh, no, you don’t. I’m running this place, and if you think you’re gonna fiddle with my schedule, you’d better pack up your bag of tricks and be gone!
[Merlin promptly disappears]
Sir Ector: What? Well, by Jove! Hey, he’s gone.
Kay: Hm? Good riddance.
Merlin: [disembodied voice] I’m gone, but then, I’m not gone. Heh-heh-heh. So if I do leave, you can never be sure that I am gone, can you?
Sir Ector: Well, uh… heh-heh-heh-heh… Well, I must say, you… got me there, Marvin. Uh, heh. Yes, well, you win. You’re welcome to stay if you like.
Merlin: [appearing suddenly] Thank you. You’re very kind. Very generous, I must say.

Tommy’s unique way of expressing things led to another interesting moment a few weeks ago, when Laura arrived at the house, back from a zoo trip a few hours before Paul, since they rode in separate zoo vehicles that day. They usually get home together.

Tommy was outside, getting ready to leave for the track with his dad, when Laura arrived. He always gives Laura a huge hug when he sees her, but this time, when she greeted him, he said, quite matter of factly,

“I don’t have time.”

Laura and I asked him “You don’t have time for what?”

Tommy replied “I don’t have time for Field Zoologists.”

(I will save you the googling…it’s Shere Khan: I can’t be bothered with that, I have no time for that nonesense.)