AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION
The sock had been somewhere.
I found a sock under a chair. An ordinary place to find a sock, I thought.
“I’ve just returned from the moon,” it said.
This was considerably less ordinary.
Me: “What was it like?”
Sock: “Excellent view. Terrible parking.”
Me: “You have a car?”
Sock: “No. That was the first problem.”
I asked how it got there. It said it had rolled.
“That must have taken ages.”
“I started on a Tuesday.”
This was not a very complete answer, but I had several other questions.
“Did you leave footprints?”
“One,” said the sock. “I travelled light.”
“And where is your other sock?”
“Mission control. Behind the sofa.”
I was beginning to understand space travel. Then I noticed the sock smelled rather strongly of clean laundry.
“Did your journey involve a washing machine?”
The sock became very interested in the ceiling.
“Is this an interview about space,” it asked, “or housework?”
I decided to leave that question open.
In my notebook I wrote: The moon may be farther away than the laundry basket. Further investigation required.
Then I went to interview a spoon.
It had apparently been conducting an orchestra.
— Wompy
Curious interviewer. Several questions remaining.
YOUR TURN TO ASK
Something ordinary.
A very unusual job.
Choose a sock, spoon or another safe everyday object together. Ask: “Where have you been, and what were you doing?”
Let your child answer for the object. Follow one surprising detail with another question. You can tell it aloud or draw it; a single funny answer is a complete story.
No purchase, account or Wompy toy needed. Nothing to submit.
Find seven more play invitations
“If the spoon asks about the dishwasher, I shall change the subject too.”