The show must go on

Little Dog has always been a bit of a showman.  He embellishes his everyday speech with vocabulary beyond his tender age.  When he cries, he makes careful use of any nearby mirrors to monitor the quality and sincerity of his expression.  If he has something to show you, he will make sure the items he displays is shown with exaggerated hand gestures and usually sound effects.  For a while now, when his grandmother comes to visit, he makes a big production about hanging quilts from the upper bunk to make a stage curtain that covers the lower bunk to put on a production of some kind, usually involving stuffed animals being thrown out from the hidden bunk.

With this general atmosphere surrounding Little Dog, I'm never surprised when he requires an audience.  I was however surprised the other night when he demanded I join him in the guest bedroom, lined up some chairs, demanded that Mr. Dog and I be seated and climbed onto the bed.  Before he started to jump on the bed, he stripped off his clothes. And then the bouncing began.  After a minute or two I asked if this was "The Naked Bouncing Show" to which he happily replied "YES!"  and the real show started. 

Gleefully he would jump and bounce then ask "Have you ever seen a guy bouncing on a bed do this?" then perform some kind of bellyflop or butt bounce or even a mid-air toe touch.  He bounced and jumped, completely unclothed, for the better part of a half hour.  At one point he jumped off the bed, ran to the piano and composed an impromptu theme song, hammering out notes while he sang "The NAKED. BOUNCING. SHOOOOOOOW!" then ran back to the bed to perform more amazing naked bouncing feats.  Eventually bedtime rolled around and we had to call curtains on the show.  Little Dog was not amused, but we assured him he could continue the show tomorrow night.  And by God he did.

The second night of The Naked Bouncing Show was less attended.  Mr. Dog opted out and Big Dog, immediately barred from providing a piano accompaniment to the performance, left after the first amazing bounces.  The show was however altered to provide added interest.  Our performer decided to don a cape.  And thus the show was renamed, "The Naked, With a Cape, Bouncing Show" and the theme song was similarly revised.

The third night the show got a late start.  We went into the bedroom just minutes before bedtime.  "I think you might want to keep your clothes on this time, you'll be heading off to bed soon," I suggested.  He thought about this for a moment, but still climbed onto the bed.  A moment later he announced the night's performance as he stripped off his socks, "The Without Socks Bouncing Show!" he sang loudly, then started with the bouncing anew.