At the age of seven (right on schedule!) Dylan has discovered Charles Schulz, and has polished off my entire collection of The Complete Peanuts hardcovers, from 1950 to 1976. By my math, he has read nearly 9,500 daily and Sunday strips. Most published before I was born, let alone before he was born.
As a result, every other sentence out of his mouth these days begins with the four words, “Here’s the world famous.” He narrates his own life in Snoopy-style thought balloons. Some are taken directly from the strip: “Here’s the famous World War I flying ace climbing into his Sopwith Camel.” (This one is usually accompanied by “It’s a long way to Tipperary!” sung at the top of his lungs.)
Some are made up. “Here’s the world-famous taekwondo champion driving his solid silver Rolls-Royce!” he announced yesterday, after hopping behind the wheel of my car in the garage.
“Uh, Dylan, your taekwondo teacher is a former world champion, and he’s teaching seven-year-olds out of a strip mall. I don’t think he drives a solid silver Rolls-Royce.”