Sardines and six-year-olds

It must be close to payday because we are down to sardines and crackers for lunch. 

Actually,  payday was supposed to be last Friday but we are self-employed and there is no money to pay ourselves yet.  So, we are eating the sardines from our food storage.

Actually, I am the only one who eats sardines.  They remind me of camp outs as a teenager.  I don't know why we thought sardines were good camping food.  They are messy, they stink up the campsite, and invite bears.  Then you are stuck with the stupid can and the blade of a lid trying to stab you until you get back home to a real trash can. 

My six-year-old was fascinated by his father eating whole fish on crackers and he wanted to try some.  With salt.  (Because everything is better with salt!)  He got his own can and stuck his finger through the loop.  He pulled pin, detonating the sardine juice grenade.  Sardine shrapnel flew onto the table and onto the shirt he was planning on wearing to afternoon Kindergarten.  Yes, my kid is the stinky kid in class. 

After cleaning up the carnage, we built a sardine sandwich.  I watched his face closely.  His eyes were full of trepidation as he stared at the cracker coffin with a fish on top.  He looked like he wouldn't have been surprised if the fish started flopping around and hopped right off the table.  It took him a second to gather enough courage to try it.  He stuck his tongue out and touched it to the side of the fish. 

"Dad, it's cold."  He said, surprised.

"Of course it's cold.  You don't warm up sardines."

He took a little bite and chewed with a pucker on his lips.  I waited to see if he would run for the trash can or keep it down.  He swallowed and took a bigger bite.  With the full sardine flavor in his mouth he squinted.  I handed him another cracker to neutralize the taste. He finished his snack and looked up at me, wiping the fish juices on his shirt with his fingers fully extended. 

"Dad, I don't really like sardines."  He said.  "But it is sure fun to open the cans."