The Toy Fix

Flash Fiction

The Toy Fix

“Do you know what this means?”

Dad turned and found Tim holding up a piece of paper.

“You can’t read yet…”

“You don’t have to read; the pictures tell you what to do.”

“Oh…” said Dad.

Dad was not used to babysitting. Usually, Mom was there. When she needed help, he helped, but she told him what to do and how. Unfortunately, Mom was at the school supervising a bake sale, but Tim had a cold, so he’d stayed home, with Dad.

“What part is giving you trouble?” Dad asked.

“This part? It’s going to look like this when it’s done.” He pointed to the picture, some kind of a building. “This is the witches castle, three floors, see?” He pointed to the part already together. “But this doesn’t seem to go anywhere.”

Dad looked, it was blue and funny shaped, but the rest of the building was gray. “Are you sure it goes with this building?” Dad asked.

“I made it once before, but I don’t remember this piece. And it’s the wrong color… Oh! I think it’s the color of the trash truck!” Off he ran, coming back with a box with a trash truck on the cover! “It must have gotten mixed in by accident!”

“Ah…” Dad said, “Did you ever make the trash truck?”

“Oh sure!” Tim said, “Do you want to see it, we can make it again!”

Sounded good to Dad, who had never in his life assembled a toy.

The day went quickly, too quickly for Dad who was loving the toys! They assembled everything Tim had before Mom got home!

Suddenly Dad had become four again. He actually loved being four, with his beautiful son. Life really changed for the better for Dad that day, and absolutely wonderfully for Tim.