Buttercup

Have you ever noticed that once a kid fixates on an object, there's no taking it away without him/her throwing a hissy fit? Take Jamesie Cat, for instance. On this day, the objects in question were a buttercup and a baseball bat.

I picked a buttercup for him, and showed him how much he liked butter based on the yellow stain on his chin. (Ssssh, don't tell his mom that the reason the skin stains yellow is because of the toxin in the flower... Of course I didn't know that until just a few minutes ago, when I Googled "buttercup".)

Sing with me now!

Why do you build me up Buttercup, baby

Just to let me down and mess me around

And then worst of all you never call, baby

When you say you will but I love you still

I need you more than anyone, darlin'

You know that I have from the start

So build me up Buttercup,

Don't break my heart

I need you more than anyone, darlin'

You know that I have from the start

So build me up Buttercup,

Don't break my heart

-The Foundations

See that bat?

Yes, the yellow one.

He wouldn't let it go for a chocolate

chip cookie, or two. Not even three.

He carried it everywhere.

"Let me put my buttercup in my pocket so I can play...

... golf-soccer-baseball."

"I'll help you take down the Christmas

lights, but I'm not putting the bat down."

Nope, he wouldn't let go of it. He held the lights with

one hand, and spun around to wind it around himself.

But he wouldn't let it go. Not when I

bribed him with a sip of my Kool Aid.

He turned his nose up at me, and continued winding up

the Christmas lights. Did I mention he still didn't let go of

the bat?

Nope.

He didn't. Let go, that is.

Not even when I threatened to relieve him of his Christmas

lights-holder duty. He just pouted, and refused to acknowledge

my presence. But he wouldn't let the bat go.

Buttercup.

Don't break my heart.