James the Train that Didn't

Gusi had a costume all set out for him before we got back to Dakar. He was going to be a park ranger. He has the vest, the hat, even the velcro wallet so all I needed was to throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt--easy, done. However, Gusi decided that he was going to be James the train from the Thomas the Tank Engine series. For those of you who don't know James, he is no. 5 and is red. Gusi likes James quite a bit.

So, his father, my dear husband, decides his little boy is going to have his wish and sets out to make him a James costume. He got several cardboard boxes together and started cutting, stapling, gluing, painting and shaping it all into what we will call James the Great because it was just that great.

On Halloween at Gusi's school most of the kids got dressed up. I took him and his James costume. He refused to put it on but he didn't want me taking it home either, so it sat on a shelf for the entire school day. Later at our embassy trick-or-treating event, he again refused to wear his costume. Luckily I had dressed him in overalls and a train conductor's hat, so he looked like a conductor without his train--oh well. After hitting a couple of houses we made our way to the party and Gusi had a blast. It was a good time after all was said and done. Next year I just have to remember that he will have to pick out his own costume so we don't go through all of this again.