Gerber and Giggles
The daycare cafeteria was a symphony of controlled chaos. Tiny chairs clustered around miniature tables. Colorful plastic plates caught the fluorescent light. The air hummed with the sound of children chattering, utensils clinking, and the occasional burst of laughter.
And then there was Mitchell.
Just moments before lunch, Mitchell had unloaded into his pampers - a full, messy situation that would have deterred most caregivers. But Mitchell was hungry. So hungry that not even a fresh, substantial diaper situation was going to stop him from his lunch.
Nathaniel knew Mitchell wasn’t like the other kids. Mitchell was different. Bigger in body, yet with the pure, unbridled excitement of a two-year-old. His presence was a force of nature - unpredictable, loud, and absolutely magnificent.
“Lunchtime, buddy,” Nathaniel announced, his voice a perfect blend of patience and enthusiasm.
The massive high chair stood ready - an engineering marvel that looked like it could withstand a small hurricane. Custom-built, reinforced, with extra-wide straps designed specifically for Mitchell’s unique… energetic nature.
Nathaniel carefully helped Mitchell out of his shorts. “Can’t get Gerber on these,” he explained matter-of-factly, though Mitchell was far more interested in the promise of food than any clothing logistics. His eyes were locked on the array of colorful Gerber jars, each one a potential adventure.
“Let’s get you secured,” Nathaniel murmured, working the industrial-strength straps. Click. Click. Mitchell was locked and loaded.
One by one, the Gerber jars lined up like soldiers ready for deployment. Colorful. Promising. A feast fit for Mitchell’s unique appetite. Sweet potato. Chicken and rice. Something green that looked suspiciously like pureed vegetables.
As Mitchell dove into his first bowl, Nathaniel turned, positioning his rear towards the high chair. Without warning, he let out a thunderous fart that seemed to shake the very foundations of the daycare. It was loud. Impressive. The kind of sound that would make a grown man proud.
Mitchell didn’t miss a beat. If anything, the sudden sound seemed to energize him further.
The first Gerber bowl disappeared faster than Nathaniel could blink. Sweet potato splattered, creating abstract art across Mitchell’s shirt. He didn’t care. Flavor was flavor.
Second bowl. Gone in a moment of pure culinary enthusiasm.
Third bowl? A celebration of texture, taste, and total disregard for table manners.
Mitchell’s shirt was no longer a shirt. It was a canvas. A masterpiece of Gerber artwork that would make modern artists weep with joy. His face? A landscape of pure, unfiltered happiness.
Nathaniel watched, part caregiver, part amused observer. This wasn’t just feeding. This was an experience. This was life in its most raw, unfiltered form.