A Child's Perspective: Martin Luther King Jr

Van:
Ummmmm....Mary....did you know Mark...Mark???...(deep breath) today is for Marktin Lufer King Jr and that he fought with lots of people and then he died...later on...I guess he got old. And then he got his own day.
(pause as he considers that a dead person doesn't really need a day off, but whatever, who is he to question)
BUT did you know he wore black ties NOT red ones?

Me:
(trying not to smile or laugh)
Hmmm. I didn't know that about the ties, but did you know that when they say Martin Luther King Jr "fought" with people it was with his words?

Van:
(silence while looking at me like I'm nuts)

Me:
One of the reasons he fought with his words was because back when he lived, people wouldn't let  black kids go to school with white kids?

Van & Kenyan, together:
(Collective gasp)
What?!? That's craaazy?!?!

Me:
I know~that's why he was fighting--with his words.

Van:
But Mary: he wore black ties NOT red ones!

Me:
So what you're saying here, is that you need a black tie?

Van:
Yes!
(big sigh of relief that I finally got the point of the conversation)

Me:
I'll see if I can find one for you at a store, but it might take me a while, ok?

Van:
(big smile) OK!


Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day!


PS: Van, after a lot of searching, I found a picture of MLK Jr wearing a red tie!!!