Each day with this lady is a whirlwind. She asks 'why' all the time, wants to know the name of each passerby on the street and spends most of her free time naked performing interpretive dances to classical music. After I put her to sleep I am always surprised at what I didn't notice: the polka dots drawn on the couch, the play dough in the fridge or the toys that go 'swimming' in Hugo's water bowl.
Today we had this conversation:
Zelda: I put something in the garbage can.'
Me: That's good, we put garbage in the garbage can.
Zelda: I did not put garbage in the garbage can.
Me: If you have something that is garbage it needs to go in the garbage can.
Zelda: I don't have garbage.
Me: OK, next time you have garbage it goes in the garbage can, after you finish your squuezie it goes in the garbage can or dirty diapers go in the garbage can.
Zelda: I put something in the garbage can.
Me: What?
Zelda: I put not garbage in the garbage can.
I open the garbage can. I see a red ball belonging to Portia and pull it out.
Me: Is what you put in the garbage can?
Zelda: I put that. That is garbage.
Me: This is not garbage, this is Portia's ball.
Zelda: It is garbage.
Me: Did you put anything else in the garbage can?
Zelda: Yes.
Me: What?
Zelda: Something else.
Me: I only see dirty diapers and towels. Are you sure you put something else in the garbage can?
Zelda: Yes.
Me: What?
Zelda: Not garbage.
Me: Was it big or little?
Zelda: Not big and not little.
Me: What color was it?
Zelda: Plain.
Me: Is it food?
Zelda: No.
Me: Is it a toy?
Zelda: No.
Me: What did you put in the garbage can?
Zelda: Not garbage.
Me: What?
Zelda: Something else.
Me: OK..... will you help me look for it? I need to go through this dirty garbage.
Zelda: No.
Me: Fine.
I guess I am going through that garbage tonight...
