Gabe: What's a suspicious person? Is it a criminal?
Me: A suspicious person could be anyone unusual who is hanging around and acting weird. What do you think a suspicious person would look like?
Gabe: Oh, you know, like a ninja.
Me: (incredulous) A ninja?
Gabe: Yeah. Like a highly skilled ninja. (thinking) Except the ninjas are all in japan.
Me: Exactly. How would they even get here?
Gabe: Oh, easy. They travel in the trees.
Me: All the way from Japan? How would they cross the ocean?
Gabe: They'd swim. (Matter of fact) They are highly skilled.
Me: True. Highly skilled. (Wondering now) What would they even do here?
Gabe: (Authoritatively) You know, leap around from house to house on the roofs and trees. Break in and sneak stuff out.
Me: Just because someone is a ninja doesn't mean they are a criminal. Maybe some ninjas are nice.
Gabe: Yeah! (Thinking) They could be a bodyguard. I bet if we lived in Japan, Dad could be a ninja. (Triumphant) And then if we came to live here, we'd have to introduce him around the neighborhood and let everybody know he was a good ninja so they wouldn't be suspicious and call the police.
Me: Exactly.
Wow, the things you learn when you go for a walk with seven-year-old!
