the little guy

Big brother and I were playing badminton, and the screeches and screams attracted the attention of the little guy. He had just woken up from his nap. In fact, according to Mom, he couldn't sleep because we were creating such a racket. So there he stood, sleepy-eyed yet excited.

He followed the birdie fly through the air, and giggled. He started toddling down the steps towards us. Big brother, in his excited voice, yelled out, "Little guy! little guy!" which made little guy all the more eager to hurry down and join the fun--a happy smile of anticipation on his beautiful face.

The closer he came, the more emphatic and shrill big brother's voice became, "Little guy! Little guy!" But big brother was so engrossed in hitting the birdie he couldn't finish his sentence. Finally, when little guy was approaching the last step, big brother got his wits together and blurted out, "Little guy! Stay back!!! Go back up!!! Don't come down anymore, OK?!!!?!!!"

Little guy stopped in his tracks. The smile didn't know where to go. There was a split second of confusion. Anticipation and expectations did triple back flips in his two year old brain.

"Go back up, little guy, OK?!!! Go back up!!!!!" big brother repeated, concentrating on the little birdie wobbling through the air.

Little guy looked down at the last step.
Then he looked up at his big brother,
and said,
"OK"