she sat on the steps
a dour expression
on such a little face
that it stopped me
dead in my tracks
cocked my head at her
and asked what was wrong

she sighed
looked at me for a second.
then shrugged
“boys”

i nodded wisely
having been one once
“boys are gross”

she smiled wanly
a sad little thing
that quivered my dead heart
“not all boys”

i gave it some
careful consideration
“some girls are gross too”

she took this morsel
chewed the knowledge
and smiled bigger
“some of them are gross!
know what’s grosser?”

i scrunched up my face
tapped at ny chin
“what’s even grosser?”

she looked about
conspiratorially
“when they kiss”

i shuddered as the bile
rose from my stomach
“that’s the grossest!”

she giggled
“it is even worse
than grossest”

my eyes grew wide
and i wring my hands
“worse than grossest!”

“it is grossier!”
she let out a loud laugh
then paused and stared
suspiciously at me
“you ever kiss a girl?”

i managed to look
positively appalled
at even the suggestion
“i would never,
that’s grossier than
anything in the whole
history of ever!”

she squinted at me
peering into my soul
with all of her eight years
then she smiled happily
“grossierest thing ever”

“absolutely”