Scenes from After Dinner

Samantha has just finished her after-dinner cookie, sitting at the child’s red plastic activity table in the living room and watching Yo Gabba Gabba. She picks up her small green plastic plate, spilling crumbs onto the floor, and walks across the living room, then the dining room, and into the kitchen. Daddy is watching her go, waiting, and listening to hear what she’s going to do next. He hears a clatter as Samantha dutifully reaches up and drops the plate into the sink. She then makes her way back into the living room and picks up her purple plastic straw cup that still holds about an inch or so of milk. She repeats the journey into the kitchen, but this time, no clatter. She walks back empty-handed, and sits down on the floor, back to watching her show.

Daddy asks, “Samantha, where did you just put your cup?”

Samantha pauses, thinking. She widens her eyes with dawning realization.

“Oh!!” she exclaims, as she gets up and heads back toward the kitchen. This time Daddy follows her, reasonably certain of what she would do, but no less thrilled anyway.

Samantha reaches the entrance to the kitchen, steps on the foot pedal of the large black Rubbermaid trash can, and watches the lid rise. Reaching in, she pulls out the purple cup and carries it to the sink, where she drops it in, listening to the clatter…satisfied that she’s done the right thing.