All Part of a Good Childhood by Cay Gibson

The other day I was taking the leftover birthday cake to the trash. A week is all I can take of sticky sweetness. Evidently my family's teeth aren't as sugar-happy as I thought.

Annie and her little friend spied me on my way to the dump and begged for that chocolate cake. I paused. The water sprinkler whirled. The cement slab sang with colored chalk. Damp ringlets paddled around Annie's face. Summertime was here.

With Bill Cosby's permission, I handed those children the rest of that cake along with two white plastic forks.

If no one else understands, Bill Cosby sure does:

Fatherhood by Bill Cosby

"I had bacon, sausages, and eggs all lined up when my four-yr-old arrived, looking so adorable with her cute face and little braids.

" 'Morning, Daddy,' she said.

" 'Okay,' I said, 'what do you want for breakfast?'

" 'Chocolate cake,' she replied.

" 'Chocolate cake? or breakfast? That's ridiculous.'

"Then, however, I thought about the ingredients in chocolate cake: milk and eggs and wheat, all part of good nutrition.

" 'You want chocolate cake, honey?' I said, cutting a piece for her. 'Well, here it is. But you also need something to drink.'

"When the other four children came downstairs and saw the four-yr-old eating chocolate cake, they wanted the same, of course; and since I wanted good nutrition for them too, I gave each of them a piece.

"So there my five children sat, merrily eating chocolate cake for breakfast, occasionally stopping to sing my praises:

" 'Dad is the greatest dad you can make!

For breakfast he gives us chocolate cake!'

"The party lasted until my wife appeared..."

(The DVD version of this cannot be missed!---Bill Cosby, Himself )

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