When I finished cleaning up after lunch, I noticed that Joe was a bit teary-eyed.  I sat next to him on the couch and rubbed his back a little bit while I asked him what was on his mind.

Joe:  “Well, I just realized that I haven’t seen my Mom and Dad in a really long time and I think that they might be dead…”

Dot walked into the room then and Joe asked her, “Hey Dot, are my parents dead?”

Dot:  “Yeah, they died a long time ago.”

Joe:  “Is that right?!  How’d that happen?”

Dot:  “They got old.”

Joe:  “Oh.  Well that sounds about right.”

Dot went into the kitchen then and Joe started crying big, alligator tears.

I started to rub his back again and I said, “I’m sorry that you’re so sad today, Joe.”

Joe:  “I’m not really sad so much as…I just feel lost.  Totally lost.”

Me:  “It’s going to be okay Joe, you’re safe and sound in your own home and you’ve got Dot around to keep you company.  You have nothing to worry about.  Nothing at all.”

Joe started to relax a little bit then and I gave him a Kleenex to wipe his eyes and nose.

Me:  “Is there anything that I can do to make you feel a bit better?”

Joe shrugged.

Me:  “I think I know something that might do the trick…”

Joe:  “You do?”

Me:  “Yep, just wait here a second.”

I went into the kitchen to see if there were any cookies in the cookie jar, but it was empty.  However, I noticed that there was a bag of fun size Snickers bars so I quickly grabbed one before Dot turned around.  Dot was busy writing out a birthday card at the kitchen table.

Joe was still pretty teary when I returned, so I hid the Snickers bar behind my back.

Joe wiped his nose again:  “What do you got there?”

Me:  “What?  Where?”

Joe:  “Behind your back.  What’s that behind your back?!”

His eyes got big when I showed him the candy bar.

Joe:  “Who is that for?!”

I smiled:  “It’s for you of course!  I thought that it might make you feel better.”

Joe:  “Well, I don’t know if it’s gonna help…but I’ll try it.”

I took off the wrapper for him and he took a big bite.

Me:  “How are you doing now…any better?”

Joe was still chewing on his chocolate bar when he said, “Yeah!  I DO feel better!”

I patted him on the back:  “Oh good, Joe, I’m so glad that you’re feeling better.”

Joe:  “What did you put in this?”

Me:  “In the candy bar?”

Joe:  “Yeah, why did it make me feel better?”

Me:  “Because it’s made of chocolate…and full of love.”

Joe grinned:  “I thought so!”