a mechanical pencil

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"How was your day?" I asked, as I always do.
"Fantastic. Check this out!"
My son is holding a mechanical pencil with tigers printed on it. He's smiling and life is good.
"I got a mechanical pencil."

When we get home, he sits and writes. He writes on the posters on his walls, he writes on the book we're reading, he writes - but always on paper. He writes with joy.

Life through the eyes of a 5 year old is good. Joy is running to his sisters saying "Smell my breath - I brushed my teeth!" Joy is spiderman pajamas, with buttons. Joy is singing while you're in the bathroom, with no care of who hears. Joy is an Obama sign in the neighbor's driveway, recently uncovered by the snow plow.

Joy is being turned into a zombie who gets to tuck him into bed and turn on Hank the cowdog before eating his face off and turning out the light.

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