UG: BOY GENIUS OF THE STONE AGE

At the library picking out our weekly books and DVDs when Chago says, "Mama, where's UG?"

"Hunh?"

"Ug, Mama. You know...Ug," he says. And while the little twerp may certainly act like a caveman sometimes, I didn't think he'd yet devolved into neanderthalistic speech.

"Are you saying, Ugh?" I ask.

"Yes, Mom. Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age," he says in that classic Duh! tone that used to be cute a couple of years ago, but is now just a little insulting.

"I'm sorry, son, I don't know what you're talking about."

"That book that you found for me last week. It's like a comic. It's about that caveboy in search of warm soft trousers."

[Me: stare]

"MAH-ahhm!"

"Okay, clearly, I'm just clueless here. Why don't you go ask the librarian?"

[Chago: stare]

"SOH-ohn," I sing-song back. "No, really, go right up there to that desk and give that gentleman all of the information you just gave me. It's his job to help you find what you're looking for. Go on. Don't be nervous. And be polite."

And off he went (a little reluctantly, but he really wanted that book).

And I could hear the conversation, from the "excuse me, sir" to the older man asking Chago for the proper spelling of Ug (which he provided), to a detailed discussion between the two about the look of the book and the type of content (as he was having some difficulty locating it), and finally, Chago saying, "It's sort of like a comic," and the man getting really excited and typing something into his computer and then jumping out of his seat with a printout for the boy.

It was all very cute.

But, alas, unfortunately, futile. At least momentarily. As Ug was, evidently, currently checked out. And the wave of disappointment sailed across Chago's previously joyous face. But then quickly returned as soon as his new buddy offered to put it on hold for him.

"Can you DO that?" Chago asked in complete and utter awe.

And this Saturday, after we received an email alert that Ug had been returned and was ready and waiting for our little king, he happily trotted off to the library with his Mommy to retrieve his prize.

This is Ug: