He and The King
No grown man can honestly he say he watched the Lion King and didn’t a little choked up. I’m not saying you had to cry, I did, but you came close.
This past weekend before my daughters second birthday, AJ my 4 year old son and I sat down and watched Lion King. AJ is a sensitive kid, arguably much like I once was. He wants everyone to get along, be friends, and would rather crack jokes than engage in a confrontation.
After a mini vacation one of our dogs died, Diva, a 6 year old backyard bred American Pit Bull Terrior. AJ didn’t understand, he asked where she was for days. Randomly weeks later he’d say, “she got sick and ran away”. I felt the need to clarify that in fact, Diva was dead. That she got sick, died, and will not be coming back. We then had to spend the next couple weeks ensuring him our other dog, Reesy was in good health.
Later his 3 fish, affectionately named “The Fishies” died. The first one made him said, the other 2… meh, he was kind of excited to flush them. He’d excitedly tell family and friends he was brave and flushed them all by his self.
When my daughter was born, he was scared to hold her but would follow the nurses around and make sure they took good care of her. He’d wait at the entrance to the nursery and command them to take good care.
All this said, I expected our viewing of the Lion King to result in some further explanation and emotional support. My son watched the movie completely un-phased, only jumping when those Hyenas would make random aggressive appearances. And then… the stampede.
I sat close to my son, expecting him to jump, be frightened, concerned; even sad. He didn’t move. AJ watched the screen intently, almost excitedly hoping Mufasa would emerge from the stampede unscathed. Alas, he didn’t. Mufasa’s body lay still and little Simba wimpers “Dad…. dad..”.
I’m ready, bring on the tears!
AJ shouts “I know what’s wrong. He’s dead.” Thrown completely off guard I ask him to repeat himself. “Yeah dad, the animals ran over him. And the mean Lion hurt him. Now he’s dead. Right dad?” How do I respond to that… “Yes.”
He watched the rest of the movie, having a good amount of giggles at Timon and Pumba, then at the credits I ask “What was your favorite part?” AJ replies “When the King died.” My wife and I, shocked ask him why and unable to find the words he manages to elude to the excitement of the moment. He later suggests his favorite part was actually when adult Simba killed the bad King, and all the animals returned to the lush savanna.
Through it all, my son expressed more concern with why Simba was sad, why Simba’s mom would blame him for Mufasa’s death, why Scar was so jealous. The actual death though, didn’t budge him.
Friends suggest I should watch my back. As AJ might be planning to dethrone the King of our own family pride. Ha… bring it.