A Conversation with Charlie (Age 5) In Which He Recognizes Reality

the family was in the playroom in that post-dinner, pre-bedtime period when Charlie had an idea for the family to play a game that's popular in his preschool class of 20 or so children

HIM: Let's play Who's Missing!
ME: How do you play?
HIM: Everyone puts their head down and closes their eyes. Then I tap one person and they have to go hide. And then everyone has to figure out who's missing.
(everyone looks around the room, realizing that there are only four of us and we all look pretty dramatically different from one another)
ME: Okay. Let's give it a try.
HIM: Hmm. It probably won't be as exciting as it is at school. But let's do it!