Puzzling, It Is

The scene was picture perfect. Minnow and I sat at the coffee table together as we worked on a puzzle. She was happy. I was happy. There's a word for this type of interaction. I believe it's called bonding.

Things were going so well that we decided to work on another puzzle together. Minnow got a head start on it before I joined in a few minutes later. She points to her section of the completed puzzle and says, "I've got a lot more of the puzzle done than you, you know?" Yeah, that happy soundtrack that was playing in my head? I can't hear it anymore. I say nothing. And then...a miraculous thing occurs. Minnow utters the phrase, "I'm sorry, mom. That wasn't a very nice thing to say, was it?" I want to hug her and kiss her for showing this kind of sensitivity. This is a MAJOR breakthrough, people. "You're right, Minnow. It wasn't a very nice thing to say but I'm glad you recognized that," I said. Cue happy music again. A few seconds pass before Minnow regains her title. "But I really do kind of have more pieces put together."