A Day with Logan

Uncategorized 2 Minutes

We saw neighbor Logan (10) on his porch as we came back from our morning walk. John asked him to come over to get Sunday School activity sheets we had printed for him. He asked to stay, ran home to get permission from his parents, and thus began a whole day with our special friend. None of us knew at the time that it would last until evening.

After breakfast and David’s leaving for work, Logan went to town with us. The fellows ran an errand or so while I had my teeth cleaned. We headed for Walmart. Logan has been shopping with us before, and we let him pick out a small toy to take home. Understandably, Shawn and Bob did not want their son to be in the habit of ASKING for things. We cleared it via text that we could get him something. Shawn had said Logan was so good to her, fetching things when she had limited mobility after her hip replacement. He did whatever she asked without complaint. I felt a minor miracle like that from any child should be rewarded.

When we came home, Logan helped John in the garden, picking up leaves and limbs from John’s recent trimming job, while I prepared our main meal. We three sat down to eat, and it didn’t occur to me until then that Logan had not played with his new toy. He brought it out on the porch, and only after we ate did he ask if he could open it. I realized many children would have already opened and broken a toy in that time. What remarkable restraint and self-control! (Round of applause for Logan, please!!)

After lunch I took a photo of the fellows playing Go Fish. John said Logan had already trounced him in a game of checkers. I suspect we will win only games of chance with him from now on. For the record, I quit playing games of strategy with our grandsons many years ago.

Go Fish! in progress

When John excused himself to do paperwork, I set up soda-can targets for Logan to shoot. He hit six in a row, I think, but naturally that wasn’t when I was taking a video. I saved one short clip of the cool marksman hitting the target. Looking at it frame by frame, I could not see the bullet at all.

Logan and I played an unscramble word game until he tired of it. He picked up a shrunken balloon from another day’s play, and I remembered I had a bat for him. It was a cardboard tube that had been the center of a roll of wrapping paper. He used it to play baseball with the sorry balloon, not wishing to get a new one from the closet. John rejoined us, and we all laughed at the bat that was slowly uncurling. At the end, there was a whooshing sound as he swung at the “ball”. The impromptu rules were like baseball, but in a real ballgame, the batter wouldn’t be able to hit the ball twice in one play as Logan did. I don’t know what else we might have found to play with, but Bob came over to take Logan home. What a fun day it had been for us!

Published by Anne Mehrling

I'm a retiree who loves to write about life in the mountains of North Carolina.

Published

44 thoughts on “A Day with Logan”

            1. Logan was with us in the supermarket a week or so ago. A woman I didn’t know greeted him by name and complimented him on his excellent reading on the church website. She saw him on line and thought he did a good job. He is loved at his church, as well as in our neighborhood.

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  4. He is such a treasure — It’s so good to see you appreciate what you have there. And so fortunate to have you in his life.

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  5. Logan is a very special boy. Having young people around is such a treat. My Irish neighbours are here with their 7-year-old daughter who loves to come over and spend time with us. We are reading Black Beauty (a child’s version) together. She loves my book collection and said, “Who doesn’t like books?” She also likes playing with my dog.

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  8. Logan is such a well-behaved young man … a real credit to his parents and you, John and David’s influence rubs off as well. I knew he would be a help to Shawn with fetching, etc. while she recuperates and until she is back on her feet 100% again.

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      1. He seems exceptional to me Anne. I’ve not been around a lot of young people in my life, but those I have seen are not well-mannered and thoughtful as Logan at such a young age on top of it. He will have those characteristics as an adult, mark my words.

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          1. The grocery store or a mall is very telling for kids’ behavior. I’ve seen kids, and not toddlers either, have a temper tantrum and go right onto the floor, kicking their arms and legs … I was raised so strictly that I see my younger self in Logan. I would have gone home to ask my parents for permission to stay at someone’s house, even though he is with you, John and David all the time, just as Logan did.

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            1. When Kate was in first grade, she had a friend from school come to play. When the mother said it was time to go, the girl wrapped herself around the leg of our piano and refused to let go. I found it embarrassing for those people.

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              1. I agree with you – were the parents somewhat mortified? Their child obviously obviously enjoyed herself and hopefully her home situation was not one to be feared or dreaded and the reason was she just had a wonderful time with your family.

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  10. Hi
    Logan is entligent boy.good behavior. A real credit of parents and you. It story teach other family & other kids.good understanding. I am so glad too.

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  13. Neighbors make such a difference for kids. Logan is blessed to have your family in his life. I know that I treasure the neighbors I grew up among and what I learned from them.

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