Mr. Rogers

Who knew a guy who looked like this would be so popular?

I remember that when I was being induced and was stuck in the hospital bed waiting for Finley to emerge, I ran across Mr. Rogers on the television. I was drawn in, and the nurse thought I had lost it.

Today, none of the things that normally hold Finley's interest for more than ten minutes seem to do the job. She wants Mr. Rogers.

"Mr. Rogers isn't on until 12:30," I tell her, and proceed to explain that 12:30 comes after lunch. I even show her the microwave clock and put a post-it note up to show what the numbers on the clock will say when it is finally time to watch Mr. Rogers. She still refuses to 'get it' and continues to ask me every 5 to 10 minutes if she can watch Mr. Rogers. Finally, in exasperation, I tell her that if she asks me one more time, she won't get to watch Mr. Rogers.

As I glance at the clock, desperately wishing time would go a little faster (at least until 12:30), I receive a revelation from above. It is 35 minutes until Mr. Rogers. I can now set the timer, the one thing in this house that Finley unhesitatingly obeys, and tell Finley that when the timer goes off, Mr. Rogers will be on. Amazingly, she accepts this, and proceeds to play by herself and with Joe until the bell sounds.

Mr. Rogers is only a half an hour long. Now I'm wishing time would slow down so I can have a longer break.