True Blue

That's Cameron, Liam's best friend. United in over-the-top energy and wicked humor. Cameron's mother tells me all the time how much they love Liam, and she invites him over to their house more than I could ever tolerate another child in my house. Cameron's Dad is a drummer in a rock band. I watch for signs that they adore Liam so much because he's the brown kid; some people get off on showing how inclusive they are.

Last night Liam came home with his Razzle Dazzle Kid book. If you draw the lucky number on a certain Thursday in kindergarten, you get to be the Razzle Dazzle kid, and the class sings a song celebrating you, and you get to wear the Razzle Dazzle crown. And--best of all--everyone in class draws a picture of you, and the teacher collects those pictures in your Razzle Dazzle Kid book, and you get to bring it home at the end of the year.

Every kid colored Liam brown, except Cameron. Cameron colored the two of them holding hands, all greens and blues and baseball bats under a sunny sky, grinning.

Not that there's anything wrong with simply noting difference. But you've got to love kids who get past it to sameness.