Super Heroes

You may remember my secret identity:

SuperOma

Yes, under this squishy, cuddly exterior, I am an indomitable force, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings, and bend steel in my bare hands. And who, disguised as TravelinOma, a mild-mannered blogger, fights a never-ending battle for Truth, Justice and the American Way.

But some actual robbers visited my loved ones today.

The Bad Guy

Nim's voice quivered when I answered the phone. "Mom! Our house has been robbed! I just walked in, and they might still be in the house!" Episodes of Superman filled my mind. I flipped a U-ie, and flew through rush-hour traffic to the crime-scene, knowing I had nothing to offer. SuperOma is just a figment of my imagination, and this was reality.

Everyone and everything was already under control; the policeman took charge, and the CSI team was on it's way to dust for fingerprints and photograph for clues. My job was with the private eyes of the family.

They were wide and teary.

I gathered them together and we pieced together the case.

Private Eyes #3, #2, #1

#1: The garage was open when we came home, and I went in to watch TV but it was gone! I said, "What the heck? The TV is gone! What are we supposed to do without a TV?"

#3: Mom started running all over the house going crazy and yelling, "Did you move my computer?" We didn't want her to worry so much, so I said, "Maybe a cat got in here and messed everything up." We tried not to disturve any fingerprints or DNA.

SuperOma: What's DNA?

#1: It's a code that tells everything about you. You get it from spit and hair. It's a bar code for your whole body, like a can of peas.

#2: Why would the robber take our TV and computer?

#1: Maybe he was poor and couldn't buy one.

#3: Why doesn't he just get a job?

#2: Maybe he wanted the computer sooner so he could find a job.

#1: If he was poor he was probably dressed in tattery and ragged clothes that would be falling apart. There's a 50% chance some tattery rags are laying around for evidence.

#2: I estimate there were 4 to about 6 robbers because the TV is too heavy. When my dad moves it, he's like a mouse lifting an elephant. I bet there were at least 10 robbers.

#1: Let's play with playdough and examine our fingerprints!

This is why I call my grands Super Heroes. They deal with challenges in an upbeat way. When their mom came to pick them up her first words were, "You know how we always pray that we'll be protected? Sometimes we don't notice that our prayers are answered, but today we noticed."

The writer Spaulding Gray said,
"I have to make myself up every day."

Write Away:
The idea for this assignment comes from Bonni Goldberg: "We each walk around with an image of who we are and how others experience us. But what would you notice if you could see yourself through someone else's eyes?"

Today describe yourself though the eyes of a character you've created, or someone you actually know, who admires you. Maybe you'll discover you're somebody's Super Hero!