Stop, drop, and roll

The three year old is in firefighter mode again. He's wearing his plastic firefighter helmet and lecturing Salsa on fire safety as I type.

Salsa is playing the role of Admiring Public today, which means another dog has been cast in the role of "Charlie", the youngest's "Rescue Dog". The dog faces change, but the roles are static. Admiring Public is to admire and Rescue Dog Charlie is to be dragged from room to room. Occasionally a dog has to be rescued to be allowed to go outside, but generally it's a fine game for all involved.

Taking the wee firefighter out on errands is a little more challenging, as the youngest will be dead quiet, then suddenly point, full arm extended, at some random person who hasn't made so much as the slightest eye contact, and scream, "DON'T PLAY WITH MATCHES!" as if said stranger has a pyromaniacal gleam in his/her eye. Needless to say, it's slightly

disconcerting
adjective
Upsetting the self-possession of; ruffling.
[Obsolete French disconcerter, from Old French desconcerter : des-, dis- + concerter, to bring into agreement (from Old Italian concertare).]
"disconcert." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Answers.com 03 Mar. 2006. http://www.answers.com/topic/disconcert