Trump and kid / 2024
For a kid his age, he watches more that his share of C-Span.
He doesn’t care about wonky issues but he likes to study powerful people, how they call people names and use outrageous lies to humiliate them.
The boy kept his hair long so when he decided to sweep it across his forehead, all he needed was hairspray. At the same time, Bobby began to pretend he didn’t hear kids when they called him Bobby.
I’m “The Robert,” he insisted. When a seventh-grader used his old name, he made up something ugly about her. He was surprised at how easy it was to Donald Trump a kid.
Strutting and bloviating – “everyone loves me” – he came to dominate his school.
As they did every Sunday, his family went to his grandparents. His aunts, uncles and cousins hooted when he told them he was The Robert.
“Aunt Caroline’s a fat slob,” he announced as potatoes were passed. Everyone laughed. “Besides, it wouldn’t hurt Caroline to drop a few pounds!”
“Jason wimps out during gym,” he told the table. He reproached his father for not having an advanced degree and taunted the housekeeper with a fake Guatemalan accent.
After dinner his grandmother invited him into the living room. She’s a thoughtful woman, barely five feet tall, an adoring grandmother. Each of her nine grandkids believe they’re her favorite.
When they were alone she pulled the boy close and held him long enough for it to mean something. She took a half step back to look at him, paused just briefly and then she slapped him hard, but not as hard as she could have.