Thursday, March 13, 2008

I Wanna Learn How to Fly—High!

The other night, Caleb started haranguing Brandon and me about why we’re not running for president. The implication was that we’re a couple of lazy asses. I started to explain to him very earnestly about the things we do to be good, involved citizens, how we are Americans! He didn’t want to hear it, and I realized why later.

Caleb is under the mistaken impression that I am famous and he is a little bit famous. (He’s young, and I can’t yet break it to him that writers or editors rarely achieve the level of fame of, say, local newscasters.) He makes no bones about how he’d like to be “more famous.” And the President’s kid? That’s auto-fame, baby.

Once, I put him on the cover of the magazine. We were running out of time, the thing was due at the printer, and I thought it’d be funny to have, instead of some perfectly groomed little angel on the cover, this wacked-out looking boy. When I got my box of issues, he took several out. He stared at the cover for a while. Then he decorated his play kitchen set with them, his own face on every surface.

He’s years away from being able to sign his own release form for a reality show, but I'm keeping an eye out.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Having met Caleb, I'm totally confident that he has star quality. I think you should stop holding him back and just go ahead and run for president already.

(Also, when I met him, I think I might have accidentally encouraged him to sniff sharpie markers and I apologize for that.)

www.jodymace.com/news

-Jody

Lauren D. McKinney said...

We explained to Jack and Will why we're not running for president two nights ago.

We decided that I'm much closer to doing it than John, because I'm more outgoing, and actually volunteering for a campaign now.

They plan on running as soon as they turn 35.

Jennifer said...

Jody, when I was in middle school, I actually performed a rap against the use of inhalants to the tune of "Cool It Now." I'll have to dust that off.

I'm all for Lauren 2012!

Anonymous said...

Of all the Brain,Child covers, and yes I have every one, that was my favorite. So yeah he's a superstar! Why doncha put him on again?

Anonymous said...

If it makes Caleb feel better, I just finished reading your book so I know all about him and I'm in Australia. He is way more famous to me than whoever your local anchorman is.

(I loved the book, by the way.)

Amy said...

I have to echo Chloe on this one--Caleb is a minor celebrity, at the very least, in the world of motherhood writing. That may not mean much to him, but I'm guessing I'm not the only mother out there who has memories of things a kid I've never met said/did!

Jennifer said...

Hey, thanks for the kind words!

And Caleb would be THRILLED.