“Yeah Jump!”
“Didja hear about Onechan and Imoto?”
“No, what happened to them? I haven’t seen them in awhile.”
“They’ve gone to Japan!”
“Japan? What’s Japan, Jump?”
“I don’t know, Kong. I thought you’d know.”
“Sorry, I don’t know, Jump. But maybe Japan is a country, like Norway and Tibet and Nigeria and Argentina and America.”
“America? That’s where we live, Kong. America is a country? I didn’t know that. You learn something everyday.”
“Yeah, America is a country, and so is Japan. And all those other places. Countries have houses and roads and trees and schools and bridges and cities and mountains and lawns and fields and rivers and airports and flowers and candy and trucks and busses and cars and lakes and dogs and fish and lots of stuff.” And after saying all of that Kong was all out of breath. “Wheeuuw.”
“That makes sense, Kong. I heard they were going to visit their grandparents,” said Jump.
“I hope they have a good visit.”
“Me too.”
And so the two friends just sat there together, thinking and being happy together. And then Jump thought of something. “And you know what else?”
“No, tell me Jump. What else?”
“I just heard from Sparkychan. She’s studying to be a bo bo boadi . . . I’m having trouble saying it, Kong, it’s a big word. Something about boadi and sat, boadisat . . . “
“I know”, said Kong. “Bodhisattva!”
“Yeah, that’s it. Bodhisattva! That’s what Sparkychan said. But what’s a Bodhisattva?”
“I’m not sure, Jump. I think it’s someone who is strong and good and patient and kind and loves everything.”
“Everything? Are you sure about that, Kong? ‘Cause everything is an awful lot.” Jump was very puzzled by this. Wouldn’t you be?
“Yes, everything. Including rats and dirt and thunder’n lightening and germs.”
“Wow, sounds real strange Kong. Anyhow, Sparkychan told me she was having a good time, but it’s hard, and sometimes she misses Onechan and Imoto and Haatochan. And even doggie, even doggie.”
“We’ll have to tell them the next time we see them, Jump.”
“Yes we will, Kong, yes we will.”
And so the two friends talked and laughed and looked at the pictures and thought about Onechan and Imoto and their trip to Japan.
