Tag: theme

Isaac was reading to Charlie at bed time. “And then the brontosaurus saw something sparkle far from shore where the water was dark and deep. Was there something hiding at the bottom of the lake?” He closed the book. “That’s the end of the chapter.”

Charlie sat up. “Can’t you read a few more pages? Please? I want to know what it was.”

Isaac put the book on the shelf. “You’ll find out tomorrow. It’s time for bed.”

Charlie flopped back down. “It’s not fair. That’ll take forever.”

“Forever and ever, we never will part…” Isaac sang.

“Dad,” Charlie whined. “Stop singing. You’re not listening.”

“I can sing and listen.” Isaac grinned.

“So will you read the next chapter?”

“Nope.”

“But Dad…” Charlie sighed. “I really, really want to know what happens next.”

Isaac stood up. “Maybe you’ll want to know about it so much that you’ll dream about it tonight. Wouldn’t that be neat?”

“Maybe.”

“Let’s say prayers,” Isaac said.

“Okay. Hey, Dad? Do you have a theme song?”

Isaac sat back down. “What do you mean?”

“You know the song at the end of the last dinosaur movie? The one where they’re on the space ship?”

“Of course.”

Charlie sat up again. “When I get nervous or scared, I play that song in my head. It’s my theme song. I feel calm when I think about it. I wish I could listen to it all the time. If I was king of everything, they’d play it everywhere.”

Isaac laughed. “I think after a bit you’d get sick of it, if they played it everywhere.”

Charlie frowned. “I wouldn’t get sick of it. It’s my theme song. Like the song they always play in all the movies when the T-rex first shows up.”

“Maybe you’re right. Who knows? I don’t think they’re going to make you king of everything anytime soon.” Isaac smiled.

“I’d do a good job.”

“I’m sure you would.”

Charlie folded his arms across his chest. “So do you?”

“Do I what?” Isaac felt a little lost.

“Do you have a theme song,” Charlie said slowly.

“Oh that.” Isaac thought for a moment. “Maybe something from Grieg. I do love the Peer Gynt Suite.”

“But is it your theme song? Do you play it in your head all the time?” Charlie asked.

“I find myself humming it a lot. Does that count?”

Charlie thought about it. “I guess so.” He leaned back. “What does it sound like?”

“I’ll hum a little bit of it. Then you need to say prayers and get to bed.” Isaac began to hum.

Charlie smiled. “That’s nice. It’s better than what you were singing before.”

“That’s a good song too. I just don’t sing as well as Aretha Franklin, that’s all,” Isaac said.

“Maybe you should just stick to humming.”

“Maybe. But wouldn’t it be sad if people could only sing if they were good at singing? It’s fun to sing.”

“And no one would get any better if they couldn’t practice, right?” Charlie yawned.

“True.” Isaac stood up again. “Time for…”

Charlie finished his sentence. “Prayers.”

“That’s right.” Isaac listened to Charlie’s prayer and turned out the light.

“Dad? Could you hum me your theme song again?”

Isaac smiled and sat back in the chair. “Why don’t you hum your theme song first?”

Charlie yawned again. “All right.” He started humming his theme song, pausing several times to yawn.

Isaac hummed for a minute or two until Charlie started to snore softly. He slipped out of the room and left to get his pajamas on. All that peaceful humming made him sleepy. He got ready for bed and fell asleep playing his theme song in his head.