Urban Safari

So Natesy’s fear of lilons has been quite the roller coaster.

Maybe a bit over a month ago we were playing in the backyard and Nate would point over the fence to the neighbors yard, “Lilon?”

“No, no lilon.”

Then he’d point to the side yard, “Lilon!”

“No, no lilon.”

At one point he was standing directly in front of me and pointing to thin air, “Lilon?”  I must admit, the question did cross my mind as to whether two-year-olds can be stricken by Ritz cracker-induced hallucinations…

Then when we went to Los Osos at the end of April, Nate was sure there were lions behind every closed mini-blind, dark corner, and definitely behind the surfboard propped in the corner of the guest room.

This past weekend we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  We were in the dark viewing room that has the enormous tank with sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, and stingrays.  Nate points into the dark depths, “Lilon!”  Then thought better of it, “No… no lilon.”  Clearly, lilons don’t really swim…

As we’re walking back out into the light he’s gripped by a new level of certainty.  “YEAH, LiiiiLon.”

“Where?  Where’s a lilon?”

“Ober dare!”  (Pointing back toward the darkness.)

Though I’d say the pinnacle of this obsession with lilons lurking in any and all dark or anxiety inducing situations peaked one night at dinner.  We were at San Pablo Square, waiting at the Vietnamese restaurant counter for Jacob’s order.  As we watched the head chef firing Jake’s noodles, Nate points at the friendly cook, “Lilon!”

Sometimes James and I overhear Nathaniel in his car seat mumbling to himself, “Lilon?  No lilon.  Lilon?  No lilon.”

I’m cutting off the crackers.