The bickering in the backseat swelled as a balloon with a lungful of air.
I turned on the music for a moment, the sudden melody making a surprised pause in the argument and took my own deep breath.
“ONCE upon a time,” I began, using the same sing-song intonation I always use for the beginning of a story. I provide a character and a conflict and hand it off to one of the kids. “There were three rabbits whose ears were so large they couldn’t fit into their warren. Joe, you first.”
Joe, an extrovert, appreciates an audience and often goes first when we make up a story as a family. He smiles and rocked happily, the older and younger kids waiting attentively.
“Uhhh, so, when the rocket ship landed in the field by their warren they were the already outside, ears perked up. That’s when they realized that they could receive radio transmissions through their ears!”
“Cool, Joe! Sarah, you’re next.”
Sarah’s stories always include magic.
“Well, the rocket opened up and out came an alien in a long flowing robe and pointed hat with stars on it. He came from the stars, so his clothes have the stars on them. He waved his wand at the rabbits…”
“How’d he know the rabbits were there? And if he was from outer space, why did he have a wand?” demanded Archie, not very kindly.
“He just DID. It’s my story!”
Archie ‘harumphed’ in disgust. Unless there was action and sports, stories were ridiculous to him, although he played along anyway.
“Well, the space-magician waved his wand and the rabbits became three lovely princesses who held hands and began to dance.”
Ignoring Archie’s throat-clearing derision, she continued.
“As they danced, a soccer ball came out of thin air and the three princesses began to play.”
“Thanks, Sarah! Okay, Arch, your turn. Nothing gory, please.”
Archie sat up, narrowing his eyes.
“The princesses were suddenly transported to a stadium in California where a game was already happening between USC and Cal State. They were down to the final five minutes of the game and the score was still zero-zero. One of the USC players had just broken his ankle and blood was all ove –“
“Archie!” I used my best ‘warning’ tone.
“Okay, okay! So a USC player was down and all their bench was sick. So the princesses turned into princes and landed in the stadium with their soccer ball.”
“Arrrrchie! They were prinCESSes!” moaned Sarah.
“It’s his turn, Sarah, he can do what he likes with them.”
“Sooo,” continued Archie, undeterred, “the three of them turned into princes and man, could they play. So the USC coach put them in at midfield and – ”
“Back to Joe!”
“Where they each grew another leg. They ran in and out of the other players, tripping them all up.”
I pulled into the parking spot and turned off the engine.
Three kids. Seven minutes. No further arguments. Creative muscles exercised. Some sort of cooperation re-established? Maybe? Well, it was more fun than listening to them argue.
As I shooed them indoors, I thought briefly of the classic rabbit story, Watership Down.
Richard Adams invented the story for his two daughters in the car during a long road trip.
Who knows what may be inspired by our family stories? Or yours.
You can find her latest book at: amazon.com/Lady-Undoer-Knots-Sylvia-Dorham/dp/1505121566/
- The Family that Imagines Together - September 2, 2024
- Teach Us To Play - November 14, 2022
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