Raising Cutis was never boring. Every day brought a new adventure, a new surprise, and occasionally, a situation that left Mr. Raymond torn between frustration and pride.
One Saturday morning, Mr. Raymond woke up to a strange silence in the house. Usually, by this time, Cutis would already be bouncing around, making noise, and getting into mischief. But today? Silence.
His fatherly instincts kicked in. “Cutis?” he called out.
No answer.
Now officially worried, Mr. Raymond got out of bed and started searching the house. He checked the living room—no Cutis. The kitchen—no Cutis. The backyard—still no Cutis. That’s when he noticed something unusual: the garage door was slightly open.
Curious and slightly alarmed, he walked over and peered inside.
And there, standing proudly in the middle of the garage, was Cutis.
The ‘Genius’ Invention
Cutis was covered in flour, honey, and what looked like a mix of peanut butter and glitter. Surrounding him were half-empty jars of jam, a pile of crushed crackers, and what appeared to be a homemade catapult made out of a mop handle, rubber bands, and a baking tray.
Mr. Raymond blinked. “Cutis… what on EARTH are you doing?”
Cutis grinned, holding up a spoon coated in peanut butter. “I made a new invention, Dad! It’s a snack launcher! Now, I can eat snacks without using my hands!”
Mr. Raymond pinched the bridge of his nose. “You… made a WHAT?”
Cutis pointed at his contraption. “Watch this!” He placed a cracker on the baking tray, pulled back the rubber bands, and—
WHAP!
The cracker flew across the garage, smacked the wall, and shattered into a million crumbs.
Cutis whooped in excitement. “Did you see that? It works!”
His dad stared at the chaos before him—the sticky hands, the mess, the… well, the pure creativity of it all. Should he be mad that his son had turned their garage into a science experiment gone wrong? Or should he be proud that Cutis had come up with such a creative (if not slightly ridiculous) invention?
“Cutis,” Mr. Raymond finally said, “this is both the worst and best thing I have ever seen.”
Cutis beamed. “So, we can keep it?”
Mr. Raymond sighed. “Let’s clean up first. Then we’ll talk about it.”
The Unplanned ‘Art Project’
After what felt like hours of scrubbing peanut butter off the walls, Mr. Raymond hoped the day would calm down. But with Cutis, that was never a guarantee.
Just as he sat down with his coffee, Cutis ran into the living room, his hands covered in blue paint.
“Dad! Close your eyes! I made something!”
Mr. Raymond hesitated. “Cutis… do I want to know?”
“Of course! It’s a masterpiece!” Cutis grabbed his dad’s hand and dragged him outside.
When Mr. Raymond opened his eyes, he saw it: the family dog, Max, was now sporting a bright blue tail and a few green paw prints.
Mr. Raymond’s jaw dropped. “Cutis! Why does Max look like he walked through a paint factory?”
Cutis laughed. “It’s not just Max! Look at the wall!”
Mr. Raymond turned his head and saw the side of the house decorated with colorful handprints, swirls, and what appeared to be a rather impressive (if slightly messy) drawing of their family.
Cutis grinned. “It’s art, Dad! Now our house is unique!”
Mr. Raymond rubbed his temples. “Cutis, this is… wow. I don’t even know what to say.”
Cutis tilted his head. “Are you mad or proud?”
Mr. Raymond sighed, looking at the enthusiastic face of his son and the unexpected but oddly charming mural. “Both, Cutis. Definitely both.”
The Unexpected Genius of Cutis
Later that night, after all the chaos, Mr. Raymond tucked Cutis into bed.
“Dad?” Cutis asked sleepily.
“Yes?”
“Even when I make a mess, you still love me, right?”
Mr. Raymond smiled and ruffled his hair. “Of course, kiddo. Every single day. Even when you turn the house upside down.”
Cutis giggled. “Good. Because I have another idea for tomorrow!”
Mr. Raymond groaned. “Should I be worried?”
Cutis smirked. “Maybe. But also… a little proud?”
Mr. Raymond chuckled and kissed his son’s forehead. “Yeah, maybe a little proud.”
And with that, he turned off the light, wondering what new adventure (or disaster) tomorrow would bring.
