Not a whimper, not a moan, not a moment of hesitation. Tucker hurried to school today.

It was show and tell day. I was trying to help him think of something really special to take. I suggested the cowboy hat he got in Colorado, or the kachina doll or beaded belt he brought back from Santa Fe. None of these suggestions caught his attention. He was busy looking for the miniature broom and dustpan set he'd picked out when we were at the grocery story last weekend. He looked while he should have been eatting breakfast and while he should have been getting dressed and finally, he found it and raised it up with such joy, it was clear what he would be taking for show and tell.

At school, Tucker rushed straight into his classroom, without a kiss or a backward glance. The teacher slowed him down, sent him back out to hang up his coat and broom and change out of his cowboy boots. He did so, but impatiently. He was eager to begin. Again he left my hands without a thought. Over his head the teacher and I exchanged astonished faces.