Thomas Hatch: The perfect Icebreaker

A couple of Thomas Hatch stories:

I love to teach and I have the good fortune of teaching the gospel doctrine class in our ward. I prepare my lesson during the week and then get really nervous sometime during Saturday afternoon in anticipation of teaching on Sunday. This nervousness lasts all Sunday morning through the first 5 or so minutes of the lesson during Sunday school when magically the ice is broken and it is then that I finally start to settle down and work to get across the message that I've prepared to give. My results vary.

Last week during the first few moments of my lesson (still very nervous) The nursery leader walked into class holding my grandson Thomas (pictured below). The nursery leader couldn't see Thomas's father (my son in-law) sitting in the front row so I stopped the lesson and gave the nursery leader full access to the room. Within a few steps of entering the class the eyes of Thomas and his father met. I smiled and was quiet as Thomas ran down the isle and into the waiting arms of his father, who was sitting on the front row. A collective, yet reverent "ahhhhh" was heard from the class as father and son hugged. After the warm embrace, Thomas looked into his father's eyes at point blank range and said in his loud voice, "I have to go poop!"

Immediate collective laughter.

The ice had been broken. I could now teach my lesson.

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Kids have varied names for their grandparents. You've heard them. Some grandpa's are called "poppa" or "ohmpa." I was never one of those types. I called my grandparents, "Grandpa and Grandma" and they seemed to like it. As a grandfather myself now I prefer to be called plain old, "Grandpa." Ruth prefers to be called plain old, "Grandma."

For three months now Thomas has been calling his grandmother, "Gamma." Delightful and cute, Ruth's eyes twinkle as Thomas calls her name. She loves to be called "Gamma."

My name isn't quite that easy. Thomas fully intends to call me "Grandpa" and I suspect when he calls my name he thinks he's saying "Grandpa." But he's not.

Instead he says, "Tampon."

Not as in "Tamma" and "Tampon." No...more exactly like, "Gamma" and "Tampon."

What is that????

It's really tough taking a kid seriously that looks deep into my eyes and says, "I luv you, Tampon."

Whatever. I blame his mother.

Little man upset

Thomas on a tree stump at Redfish Lake

That's not Christian Bale, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney or even Adam West. It's Thomas Hatch!!

Reflective picture of Thomas reminiscing on his earlier years.

Thomas letting the ladies know, "I'm two, but I'm available."

Thomas saying, "Hands over your head. March back into the kitchen and get me a cookie, Tampon."