"Yike"----a true story

Monday night I had forgotten a key ingredient for grilling, so I rushed back to the Pig to get it.

In the checkout line just behind me was a young father and his son, about 4yr.old. As I was writing out the check, I heard the boy ask, "What's this dad?" His dad replied, "That's a peanut bar."

"I yike peanuts, Dad! I really yike them. Can I have one?"

"NO, son, the father replied."

Then the son said, "What's this dad?"

"That's a choclate bar."

"I yike choclate! I really, really yike chocolate. Oh can't I have one?"

"No son," he said firmly, but gently.

I was tempted, as I was possibly the only phonics trained person in the checkout line, to take a moment and go over how to pronounce the "l" sound, with the tounge pressed to the top of the mouth. It was easy to master and I know I could have changed the "yike" in short order.

On reflection, I realized how lucky this youngster was to have such a fine dad and that what was being taught here was far more than just a little consonant sound. That could be dealt with later.

Yes. The more I listened to the young boy say "I yike peanuts dad," the more I was getting the idea that maybe I needed one too. I too have always yiked them.

But the triumph was I got out of there without a chocolate or peanute bar. Alleluia.