Lydia and I were riding in the back seat of our car, along the highway at the beginning of our family’s Memorial Day vacation.  Lydia was looking out the window at the passing cars and suddenly turned to me.

LYDIA: Mama, do you know about a tater-totter?  That’s a car but with two wheels in the middle and no doors.

MAMA:  . . . and it’s called a tater-totter?

LYDIA: Yes.

MAMA: Like a tater-totter that’s made of potatoes?

LYDIA: Ha ha, no!!  It’s for crossing the street.

MAMA: So . . . like a tater-totter in the park, one person going up and one coming down?

LYDIA: Yes, a big one in a street.

MAMA: So . . . you walk on when your end is low . . . and when you get to the middle, it tips and you can walk down to the other side of the street?

LYDIA: (thrilled that I finally understand) Yes!!

MAMA: Wow.  That would be an exciting way to cross the street.

LYDIA: It’s very safe.