Joelle is a chocolate thief;
*Not to be confused with the hot chocolate thief of '85 at Warner Southern College. The hot chocolate thief would grab multiple packets of powdery brown and pack them in his pocket. I guess he figured he was entitled to them because he was on the meal plan.
The just plain chocolate thief shares that same love for chocolate, but her crime was a little less severe. She stole chocolate chips out of my trail mix.
We had had a fun Monday. A Daddy day, as we call them. She helped me with everything. On Daddy days, she prefers to even hang out with me in the bathroom when I shower. She plays Polly Pocket swimming pool in the sink and makes a royal mess, but I don't care.
So when I needed to make my lunch for school, she helped me. I let her pour, open, pack, and wrap up whatever it is that needs it. Sometimes it can be real fun to take a 2 minute ritual and make it a 20 minute one. As soon as she saw the chocolate chips in my trail mix, she matter-of-factly started picking them out and eating them. I closed the zip lock to preserve a couple for the long night of lecturing. Joelle dropped one on the floor. I saw it roll under the bottom overhang of the cabinet and I, like most males, believes that that would be a zone which would require the eventual cleaning, just not immediate cleaning. I knew it was there, but it was out of sight and out of mind for her as well.
Two or three hours later, Joelle and I walked into the room. She spotted the chip. She dove like it was the bounty from a Michael Moore pinata. "Oh! Chocolate Chippy!" Her motion from floor to mouth was quicker and more seamless than a second baseman's double play catch and throw. Before I could even react she was on the floor with mouth open and  chocolate chippy inside. I did explain to her that it was dirty and, I must say, my extraction was pretty smoothe, as well. It was a dangerous move to get between the girl and her chocolate, but I had to. What if Mommy found out she got "floor chocolate" and it was on my watch?
Joelle was kind enough not to bite me and I rewarded her with a fresh one out of the fridge.
The past few days have been real long. I have worked different Movie and TV sets three days in a row where I worked around 15 hours each. I managed 2 overnite  gigs as well. I have hit the grueling underworld of background acting. Sleep is just like a sip of water when I need a glass.
More than that water, I have needed my family. On Mondays, when I don't work due to class, I get to spend some time during the day with them. Breakfast at the Rocky Cola Cafe' or playing little people on the floor, these moments are so sweet, I just eat 'em up... even if I have to Pete Rose dive across the floor and snatch them up.
Don't I wish that I could always be a quality time thief. Why should'n't I steal moments like chocolate chips, while there are still moments to get?
Lord, thank you for the banquet table of family. Help me to love them like chocolate.