August 28, 2004 - Saturday
Harry and I went to the Harvard National History Museum with Rip and his parents today. It's a wonderful place with dinosaur and whale bones, taxidermy-stuffed mammals, birds, and fish, and fancy rocks and gem stones. There's plenty to hold a young boy's fascination and our visit went just about how I would have expected.

Here are two less conventional lingering memories:
Rip rode with Harry and me to the museum with the top completely off the Tracker. Rip's parents followed in their car. As soon as we got on the highway I suggested Harry give a truck driver the toot-your-horn sign. With no top on the car Harry was easy to see and the horn easy to hear. I've thought before when truck drivers toot at Harry that I wish they could see just how happy they've made this little boy with that simple little gesture. Today, it seemed particularly special to Harry and I don't know whether that was just the loud sound, whether there is simply something exciting about the cause and effect of it all, or whether the fact that, today, Harry did something his best friend had never seen before. But, in that moment, actually twice, Harry was completely happy.

Rip, quite worn out from the day at the museum, rode home with his parents, so Harry and I drove home together. After a day of father-son bonding it just didn't seem right for Harry to have to sit in the back seat, so as I've done out of need going to the dump I moved Harry's carseat to the front and sat him next to me. I might have wished that we'd talk about the museum, or maybe his thought on interacting with Rip and some other friends from school who joined our little group (by arrangement). But it turned out Harry was rather worn out, too and it wasn't too long before he had curled up his legs and closed his eyes. Instead of talking with Harry the whole ride home I spent the time glancing over at him and rubbing his head like I used to do when he was a baby.


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