Chapter 3
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In which Ella begins to learn the purpose of school,
and we gain some insight into her perception of where babies come from.
and we gain some insight into her perception of where babies come from.
One July day, Ella, Sophie and their mom were on the way to pick up their dad from work. It was a mild 109 outside, and everything was quiet, except for the forceful, rushing, but soothing sound of the A/C on full blast. Sophie had fallen asleep. Ella was deep in thought. As they turned down the road that led to the dad's work Ella spoke up...
Ella: How come Dad is the only one that works here?
Mom (a little confused): Because this is where he works.
Ella (a little exasperated at Mom's attempt to blow off the question): No, I mean, how come only Dad works here and not me, or Sophie, or you.
Mom: Um, because he is the one that got a job here.
Ella: How come he's the one that got a job here.
Mom: Because he went to school to be an engineer, and this is where he got a job to work as an engineer.
Ella: Oh.
It gets quiet again, except for the A/C.
Ella: How come you work at the hospital.
Mom: Because I went to school to be a Dietitian, and then I got a job at the hospital.
Ella: What does a "dI-en-ti-shun" do?
Mom: Well, I--
Ella (interrupts excitedly, thinking back to the only time she's been to the hospital 2 years ago to visit her brand new baby sister Sophie): Oh! Do you get to help pick out the babies at the hospital!!!
Mom (trying not to laugh): Nope. I help teach people how to eat, so they can be healthy.
Ella (unimpressed): Oh.
Mom: People who go to school to be nurses or doctors, can help take care of new babies at the hospital.
Ella: Oh.
Mom: So one of these days you'll get to choose what you want to do, and go to school to learn how to do it. You could go to school and learn how to be a dietitian like me, or go to school to learn how to be an engineer like Dad, or-
Ella (interrupting again): What do engineers do.
Dad (at some point in the conversation he got in the car): Engineers invent things.
Mom: Or you could go to school and learn to be a teacher, like Lesley, or go to school to be a doctor.
Ella: And work at the hospital?
Mom: Yep. Or you could go to school and be a lawyer like Grandpa Bob.
Ella: What does a lawyer do?
Mom (stumped): Hmm. Why don't you ask Grandpa Bob next time you talk to him.
Ella: Okay.
Mom: So what do you think would be fun to learn how to do when you grow up.
Ella: Well, at my school we just learn how to write.
Ella: How come Dad is the only one that works here?
Mom (a little confused): Because this is where he works.
Ella (a little exasperated at Mom's attempt to blow off the question): No, I mean, how come only Dad works here and not me, or Sophie, or you.
Mom: Um, because he is the one that got a job here.
Ella: How come he's the one that got a job here.
Mom: Because he went to school to be an engineer, and this is where he got a job to work as an engineer.
Ella: Oh.
It gets quiet again, except for the A/C.
Ella: How come you work at the hospital.
Mom: Because I went to school to be a Dietitian, and then I got a job at the hospital.
Ella: What does a "dI-en-ti-shun" do?
Mom: Well, I--
Ella (interrupts excitedly, thinking back to the only time she's been to the hospital 2 years ago to visit her brand new baby sister Sophie): Oh! Do you get to help pick out the babies at the hospital!!!
Mom (trying not to laugh): Nope. I help teach people how to eat, so they can be healthy.
Ella (unimpressed): Oh.
Mom: People who go to school to be nurses or doctors, can help take care of new babies at the hospital.
Ella: Oh.
Mom: So one of these days you'll get to choose what you want to do, and go to school to learn how to do it. You could go to school and learn how to be a dietitian like me, or go to school to learn how to be an engineer like Dad, or-
Ella (interrupting again): What do engineers do.
Dad (at some point in the conversation he got in the car): Engineers invent things.
Mom: Or you could go to school and learn to be a teacher, like Lesley, or go to school to be a doctor.
Ella: And work at the hospital?
Mom: Yep. Or you could go to school and be a lawyer like Grandpa Bob.
Ella: What does a lawyer do?
Mom (stumped): Hmm. Why don't you ask Grandpa Bob next time you talk to him.
Ella: Okay.
Mom: So what do you think would be fun to learn how to do when you grow up.
Ella: Well, at my school we just learn how to write.
