The World's Worst Secret Agent

Sophie’s been getting really good at guitar lately. Like, actually good. Not just ‘supportive parent good’ but genuinely impressive. She practices most afternoons after school, and apparently word has gotten out because she’s acquired a very dedicated audience of one.

The World’s Worst Secret Agent

Theo thinks he’s being sneaky lurking in the hallway, but the kid weighs seventy pounds soaking wet and breathes like a steam engine when he’s concentrating. Sophie knows he’s there. I know he’s there. Biscuit knows he’s there and has given up trying to figure out why Theo’s standing motionless in random doorways.

Sophie’s ‘I know you’re there’ look

The best part is Sophie pretends not to notice until she finishes whatever song she’s working on, then she’ll call out ‘You can come in, weirdo.’ And Theo will shuffle in like he wasn’t just pressed against the door like a tiny FBI agent. Yesterday he asked her to play ‘the one that sounds like dinosaurs walking’ which is apparently how he describes her attempts at ‘Stairway to Heaven.’

Future roadie in training

Marcus is torn between being proud that his musical genes might have actually transferred to someone and devastated that both his kids are already better at guitar than he is. I told him to lean into the devastation. It builds character.