And if you are like me or most English-as-a-first-language people you likely either thought I had a typo or, just ignored me. (Seriously, go on Twitter and search for Jizo or Jizou...everything that comes up is all in characters and then, if you go back far enough, there is me searching for a robe.)
But I was talking to work friends about this and one of them piped up, "What in the world is a Jizo?" And so today I did a bit of searching. Thanks to zendust, I learned this:
Okay, so as long as we all have that down. Caleb's school play was a performance in which he had to be a Jizo statue. And we were given the task of finding Jizo robes. The letter from the teacher explained this should be along the lines of a Kimono. Cool. Cause I have tons of those around."Jizo Bodhisattva is a much beloved figure in Japan, Korea, and China, who is just becoming increasingly well known. Jizo is a special protector of children, travelers, and women."
It also requested that we not use fleece-y or furry bath robes. Dang. There goes the robe he already has. And really, how easy is it going to be to find a Kimono-meets-Hugh Hefner robe for an 8-year-old boy?
Off to Goodwill I went. First I found a rather hideous floral maternity top that I thought I might be able to make work. But I also might make my son hate me for years.
Then I found a nightgown. But the lace was a deal breaker. That and the darted chest. My skinny male kid didn't need a saggy chest.
And finally I found the perfect silky nightshirt. And it was only $3.99. Done.
Brought it home and showed it to Brian who said, "Yeah, good luck selling him on wearing a woman's nightgown!" But Caleb came upstairs and I pulled out my best persuasive speaking skills and said, "Hey, C, I found the coolest Jizo robe at the store. Look!"
I pulled it out and got a thumbs up. Sweet. I rock.
He learned his lines and went off to the play. We went to watch it and had to laugh because the room was filled with a combination of actual Kimonos, graduation robes, women's nightgowns, grown up furry and fleece-y robes, and several Power Rangers and Skull and Crossbones robes. Good to know some people read instructions worse than I do.
The performance was cute as one would expect. And my kid was a ham. Something I would expect.
Afterwards, I took the costume back from him and tossed it on the floor or my car where it has sat for the past two weeks.
Until this morning. Caleb has had that horrible cold all week. And so, being 8 and being a boy (I hope those two things make this somewhat "normal") he has taken to "checking" if he needs to blow his thoroughly disgusting nose before he actually does it.
How's that happen? Well you asked...
He doesn't really check. He just does it. All over his upper lip. I love it. Yeah, really. Intense pride.
He claims it's because he doesn't want to "waste a kleenex." Which I remind him is cool and all, being I am frugal and don't like to waste stuff. But I can take the hit for him on this one.
We had a conversation about this in the car yesterday (after the above happened) and I gave him my last Burger King napkin. I warmed him that was all I had. So not to do it again.
And then he did it again. This morning. All over his face. And I had nothing.
Wait no, I had something. I had a Jizo robe*! Which I lobbed from the floor of my front seat back to him. He now had an entire nightgown to blow his nose on. I knew I kept that thing in my car for a reason.
Worked like a charm and felt great on his nose, too. Yeah for poly-blends.
Now I just have to remember to bring it inside and wash it before spring.
*And yes, that is the floor of my car. Another story for another time.
