The scene at 5:30 this morning -- two bleary-eyed girls in the kitchen pouring bowls of some oaty cereal thingy with strawberries (and no coffee, dammit):
L'il Red: Did you know that long, long time ago, every one was poor?
QA: [grunt]
LR: They had no computers, no VPs, no TV, no internet, no cars. They even had to use horses instead of cars.
QA: [slightly more articulate grunt]
LR: So, wow. Everyone was poor.
QA: Not everyone. Some people were rich. The technology just didn't exist yet.
LR: But they didn't even have Nintendo DS to play with!
QA: It wasn't invented yet, honey. The internet wasn't really around yet when I was born.
LR: [GASP]
QA: Yeah. And you know my mom? When she was a kid, TVs were still new and not everyone had one yet. They were black and white, hadn't figured out how to make color available to everyone.
LR: [GAAAAASSSP]
QA: So, yeah. There's a difference between how poor or rich you are and what's available to buy.
[We pause, crunching our cereal in the kitchen as the sun rises.]
LR: Back then, like, y'know, long, long time ago...
QA: Yeah?
LR: Was everyone hearing or deaf?
QA: Pretty much the same as now.
LR: Oh. [Face looks like she's smelling her own fart.] I wish more people were deaf.
QA: Uhhumm.
[Crunching resumes]
LR: Who invented electricity?
QA: Uhhh, nature.
LR: NO! You're WRONG!!!
QA: Ok, if you yell that loud, then yes, I must be wrong. *rolling eyes*
LR: [mumblemumble] Mommy? Electricity's weird.
QA: You're weird, hon.
LR: *giggle* I love you, mom.