F: Where were you yesterday?
M: I went to pick up my dad’s friend. He came to see me.
F: Oh, where did you go?
M: We went in my dad’s car veeeeeeeeeery far.
F: Far like the Sahara desert far?
M: *with all seriousness and sipping water* Yes. (taking me up on my challenge!)
F: WOW. That is far. So tell me more about it.
M: We parked the car in front of a gate in the desert.
F: Gate? Where was this gate in the desert? In the beginning, middle or towards the end of the desert?
M (visualizing more…): In the middle. It was a white colour gate.
F: I see. Were there walls around the gate?
M: No. It was just a gate. And there was a camel. We were sitting on the camel and went to pick up my dad’s friend who came to meet me. (And just like that car became a camel!)
F: Huh. So you couldn’t come to the school yesterday because you went to the Sahara desert with your dad to pick up his friend who came to meet you on a camel.
M: Yes. That’s why I was tired.
F: I can imagine! That must have been very tiring indeed.
The visual image N built for all of us was a treat to hear, even though a tall tale indeed! Who says children can’t tell tales?