Secret Agent

Luke has always maintained--strangely, given his obsession with superheroes--that he wants to be an astronaut when he grows up. But yesterday, he told me that he wanted to grow up to be an astronaut and a good ninja.

"Is that a job, mom? The job of a ninja?" he asked.

The only respectable job I could think of that might involve some ninja moves was that of a CIA agent, although, in retrospect, I should have talked up acting. I mean, what mom wants her kid to be a CIA field agent?

But CIA field agent is now on Luke's list of possible career choices. And I must admit, I like the possibilities with this one.

"So Luke, you really need to work on your disguises. And also your spying skills. Why don't you very quietly try to hide and spy on me for about, oh, twenty minutes. Do you think you have the agent skills to do it for twenty minutes?"

Luke was off to work on his tasks.

Later, when he was complaining about having to go to school, I casually mentioned that CIA agents have to work very hard in school. They must be very smart so they can memorize everything, since it wouldn't do to write anything down. They also have to be very good at math and must know many languages.

Luke looked at me with determination and said, "Okay, Mom."

I asked Luke if he thought he might also like to get married and have a family in addition to being an astronaut and a CIA field agent.

"I won't have a wife," he said with the utmost certainty, "I'll have a boy master."

I knew that this must have something to do with a superhero partner or ninja master. But I didn't delve into it. I'll just save it, file it away for later use. Perhaps for a wedding toast?