Traffic Light

We are driving home from school. We stop at a crossroad, at a light.
Chip: Whaddya waiting for?
Aie: What color is the light, Chip?
Chip: Red.
Aie: What color should the light be for us to go?
Chip: Green.
Aie: Right, so I am waiting until it turns green. Why don’t you sing your green light song?
This is a tradition we have followed ever since Chip started stringing sentences. To pass time at a light, I made up a silly song – “Green light, green light lavkar ye.”
Chip: That doesn’t make the light go green.

I am aghast. When did my three year old son realize this?

Aie: Of course it does. You have sung it scores of times before and the light has turned green, no?
Chip: No. No. This light (pointing to the light on the street to our light) will turn yellow, then it will turn red. Then our light will turn green. Then we can go.
Aie: Who told you that?
Chip: I see it.
Aie: No, your song makes the light go green.

Chip slaps his forehead and shakes his head. But the angels are on my side today. As luck could have it, the light on the street to our right, turns red, but the light in front us does not turn green. It stays red. The light above our heads (for the onward traffic) turns green, which Chip can’t see.

Chip: What just happened? (peers to the street on our right). That light is red. (peers to the street on our left) That light is also red. (points to the light in front of us) That is also red. Why is it not green? It should have been green.
Aie: Because you did not sing your song.

Chip looks at me in disbelief. But his impeccable logic has been proven wrong. He begins to sing, with utter skepticism, in a half-whisper, hurriedly. The light stays red. Chip is triumphant.
Chip: See, see? I told you. The song does not turn the light green.

Aie: Your heart wasn’t in the song. Sing it with love and sing it loudly. The light prolly did not hear you.

Chip shoots a “I can believe this is my mother” glance at me. But he sings. In a robust voice. Again, luck is on my side today. The light changes from red to green. I let out a hearty laugh.

Aie: See? The light turned green. It was your song.

I can’t stop smiling. Chip is awfully quiet on the ride home.

Later, at night, I narrate the events to BigGeek who laughs and then asks me, “Did you tell him he was right? That songs don’t change traffic lights and that yes, his logic was correct?” A wicked gleam lights up my eyes. “Of course not.” I answer, leaving a very annoyed BigGeek. My little boy is growing up too fast!

And with that, a very happy New Year to all of you!