Dad gave Josh a stopwatch and told him to watch how long he spent in the shower.
On Monday, Josh reported eighteen minutes. On Tuesday, twenty-one.
By Friday, he came downstairs smiling and holding the stopwatch.
Dad asked why he looked so pleased….
Every morning, Dad stood outside the bathroom holding his toothbrush.
Every morning, Josh called that he was nearly finished.
Dad had learned that nearly finished meant enough time to eat breakfast, wash the plate and read the back of the cereal box.
One Sunday, he found an old stopwatch in a drawer. It had a start button and a stop button. Even before coffee, he could work it.
He handed it to Josh.
Watch how long you spend in there, he said.
Do I stop it when I get out?
Yes. Then tell me the number.
On Monday, Josh came down and reported eighteen minutes.
That’s a long time, Dad said.
Josh nodded and wrote it on a scrap of paper.
Dad was pleased. The boy was taking notice.
On Tuesday, Josh reported twenty-one minutes.
Dad asked whether he was washing a second person.
Josh said the shower had been very good that morning.
On Wednesday, Dad knocked on the door. Josh called out that knocking made it hard to concentrate.
On Thursday, his sister left for school with dry shampoo in her hair and a complaint in each hand.
Dad said they would discuss the stopwatch properly that evening.
Josh was out.
On Friday, he came downstairs grinning. He put the stopwatch beside his cereal and held up the scrap of paper.
Twenty-five minutes, he announced.
Dad looked at the list. Every number was higher than the one before it.
You’ve been in there longer every day. Why are you smiling?
New personal best.
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