“You know what, sweet pea?” I asked Little Miss, apropos of nothing, while she cut up strawberries to zhoozh up her waffles.

“What, Joe-B?” she replied.

“It occurs that I don’t know how it is that I don’t have a copy of the original cast recording of Company,” I explained.

And that, dear hearts, is the gayest thing I’ll say to an 8-and-11/12ths-year-old today.

©2021 Joe Belknap Wall