Actual Conversation

The Matron is happily making breakfast on a Wednesday morning full of dew and sunshine. The older children have been carried away on various buses. The dog has had his four mile run (and the Matron, too). She's prepared for the workday, all papers graded and lessons ready. The bathrooms are cleaned. Bacon is simmering and the eggs are ready to go. She has the rare sense that all is right in the world. Then, Merrick, whose school day starts significantly later than the others, appears in the kitchen.

Merrick (with urgency): "Mom!! Can I have youw cell phone?"

Matron: "Merrick. Good morning to you, too."

Merrick: "I NEED YOUW CELL PHONE NOW!!"

Matron: "Why?"

Merrick: "Actually, I need my own cell phone!! I need to check my email wight away."

Matron: "Email? You have email?"

Merrick: "Don't you know? I have a LOT of email evewy day. I'm stwessed about checking my email."

It turns out that Merrick established an email account (he's mastermerrick online) about six months ago. HWCBN and Scarlett sign him in and out and are in charge of passwords. But Merrick takes his electronic life seriously. He is seven.

Merrick: "What's spam, Mom? And can I send email to all of Scawlett's fwiends? Nobody else in my classwoom has email. Can I have a cell phone? How about a laptop? What does 'weply all' mean?"

Life in the 21st Century--and the timeless story about keeping up with the big kids.