Taxes

We were driving home from church this morning when James asks out of the blue, "What are taxes again?"

I guess it wasn't truly out of the blue. The big kids have kinda been talking about taxes the last week or so. They have grand ideas, y'know.

James asked the question in a strange way. Subconsciously, I sensed there might be a specific reason he was asking this question, but it didn't register until later when I was telling Bobby about it.

It goes back to money. James hears us talking about a program where we HAVE to give our money to someone or something, and it's totally legal (enforced by police) and he's TOTALLY interested. He wants to be the person you give your money to. The perfect occupation for a pirate ;)

James' love for money appears to be the money itself, not what it can buy. He doesn't seem to have plans for it except to collect it and have lots and lots. He knows it's valuable. He knows you need to work for it. Perhaps he senses its power? Don't know, exactly, but it's certainly something he thinks about a lot.

Did I tell you he collects coupons? Those free ad books that come in the mail on Wednesdays. He took a pair of scissors to them once and clipped over 200 coupons. These coupons are part of his treasure, now, and he'll pore over them again and again. He and Robert sorted them this morning. It's a seductive idea...the idea that he could trade a simple scrap of paper for a free hamburger and fries. He's not reading the fine print, of course, but there's a fantastic picture.

I remember feeling that way about Scholastic Book Order forms and Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes stamps. There was something about all that potential that captured my heart. This enormous abundance to choose from. And if I just did a couple things (earned money and sent it in), all of it could be mine. All mine.

Hmm. Maybe his pirate tendencies are inherited.