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The Tale of Brocolli : The Storytellers Journey Continues

A few weeks ago I wrote about the tendency for The Sprite to concoct elaborate scenarios in his game play, and his emerging talent of using his creative imagination for storytelling.

This tendency has continued to blossom, and the expanded scope of some of his recent storyplay has been really fun to listen too. I'd like to share one such event, it was so imaginative and spontaneous and brilliant.

On a recent trip to Laguna Lake, where we often go to take an evening stroll, The Sprite created a new character that had us wondering if our son had taken a bump to the noggin. There is a small bridge that spans a small shallow stream that flows over some rocks and stones. The stream connects the main lake to the series of small ponds that are an integral part of the water filtration system. At that bridge it is pretty routine for us to stop and play Pooh Sticks for a while, The Sprite using some of the many twigs fallen from the plentiful tree's surrounding the lake.

On this day, he found a spray of branches full of leaves that had fallen to the ground. Immediately he picked it up and named her Broccoli. Apparently this was taken as some kind of familial offspring and he felt some paternal need to protect her and nurture her. He played with her for almost an hour, showing Broccoli the different areas of the lake, and talking to the leafy twigs like they were a real person. Everything else outside of this imaginary world was completely invisible to him.

Well, needless to say, we had to give Broccoli a ride back to the house where she was promptly given a place of pride in his bedroom. And there she has sat for the past dozen or so weeks, referred to and greeted occasionally as The Sprite goes about his business.

Our Leafy Friend Broccoli

Our leafy friend Broccoli



"Hey Broccoli, are you okay here...Good. Seeya later"

Predictably, Broccoli has a limited life-span, being separated from her parent trunk and limb many days ago. As the leaves have dried and fallen to the floor, it was apparent we had to put Broccoli out to pasture. Very maturely, The Sprite explained how we should take Broccoli back to the lake so she could be with her family. We could find another Broccoli and bring her home with us.

So that's where we'll be going this afternoon. To give our guest and friend a leafy funeral.

Who knows what's next.

Comments

Pam Marshall said…
Love it! I wonder if these adventures with invented friends are a manifestation of an only child. My daughter has a whole menagerie of items she has done similar things (not nearly so cute, though) with.

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