Rootin' Tootin' Reading

 

When we visit our family in Wyoming He-man and I will sometimes take our three little chickadees with us when driving from one town to another.  On one particular occasion we were driving the 187-mile stretch from Riverton to Laramie. Cautious, Sparky and Muffin were strapped in their seats, squashed tightly in our midsized Toyota.

We were impressed with the girl’s ability to read and wanted to test their skills by asking them to read road signs.  

One of the signs read, “Do Not Pass.”  He-man asked them what that meant.  

“That means you aren’t supposed to go over to that side,” Sparky replied as she pointed out her backseat window.

 

‘Yes, it does,” said He-man.  “And,” he added.  “It means that you can not pass gas.”

No comment came from the back seat.  

We continued on reading more signs while waiting for familiar landmarks to tell us that Laramie was getting closer.  

 

Twenty minutes later we began to see cabins, small corrals and trailers that lined the highway outside Laramie City limits.  I heard a rumbling from the middle of the back seat and turned my head quickly to ask, “Muffin, did you toot?”

I was met with saucer brown eyes that twinkled and an impish grin as Muffin announced, “You can toot in Laramie.”

He-man and I burst our laughing, not at all expecting such a response and wondering if our three-year-old had been obeying the road signs or simply waiting for the right moment to express herself?

Since then we have adopted, “You can toot in Laramie,” as our personal permission go-to-phrase.  Like when I ask He-man, “Why are you wearing that T-shirt to the party?”  He replies, “Because, you can toot in Laramie.” 

Or when He-man asks me, “Why are you parking here?”  Without my usual emotional explanation, I just say, “You can toot in Laramie.”

The phrase has served us well in remembering not to take things so seriously… to give ourselves permission to be ourselves and to embrace Muffin’s three-year-old playful vibe.

8. I am grateful for the closeness of midsized cars.

I hope you can express yourself freely today.  I hope you listen to the expressions of another.  I hope you enjoy the day as you did when you were a child.