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Fifty Times Dirtier

Checking on the boys after they went to bed, I pulled Osamu's thumb out of his mouth, and he talked in his sleep, saying, "Kenzo's bugs."


I would give away all my earthly possessions to see Osamu's dreams.


The original plan for today was a barbecue at Michinoku Park in Kawasaki Town. Then yesterday I realized it might be better to scale back just a little, since the boys are going to want to focus on playing in the water. The barbecue area is kind of inconvenient for that, so I decided to make it a cooler box picnic with snacks.

However, this morning we had to cancel the trip entirely. Kenzo had a temperature of 39.9 and was visibly unwell.


Eri and I have very different ways of doing things, and she was appropriately annoyed with me. 

Since our boys day plan to go to the park was canceled and it's a bit early to set up the big summer swimming pool, she got the little pool out of the closet so that Osamu and Kenzo, if he was feeling better, could do some water play on this hot, sunny day. Apparently, however, I did it wrong. 

Eri is meticulous, especially when it comes to the boys. 


I blew up the pool and started filling it with water and invited Osamu to come out and play. Eri started heating up the hot water pot because she wanted the pool to be nice and comfy. She's a better mother than I am a father. However, I feel that it doesn't really matter if the water is a little chilly because that's the point on a hot day. She wants it to be nice and comfortable, and I understand that. I just don't agree enough to change my ways.





Then Osamu put his sandals in the water, and I'm okay with that, too. Eri is not. She says it's dirty, and again I agree. I should have more serious feelings about things like that, but I don't. If we had played in the water at the park, it would be about 50 times dirtier because there are tons of kids, many of whom I assume have not bathed in the last 24 hours. They might have played with animals covered in dander, and many of them are wearing sandals that they may have just come from a livestock auction in.

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