Tanks

Chad took Samuel out for some one-on-one time tonight. They bought some icecream, then went to the water tank across the freeway to climb it, eat their treats, and enjoy the view. Don't worry, the tank is not dozens of feet in the air, but sits right on the ground and looks like a birthday cake with a big flat top. After they had driven to the top of the hill where the water tank overlooks the valley, their conversation went something like this:

Chad: Wanna go up on that water tank to eat our icecream?
Samuel: What tank?
C: That big one, right there.
S: I don't see any tank.
C: That huge grey thing that says "Bob hearts Vivian."
S: Oh. It's really tall.
C: Yep. Climb on up. I'm right behind you.
S: Dad, I think I'll just eat my icecream right here in the dirt.
C: No, no, no. Up you go.
(They climb up the water tank and get situated right in the middle.)
S: Dad, why is this a water tank?
C: They used to put water in it.
S: It's hollow? Are we going to fall in?
C: No, no.
S: Why do they put water way up here?
C: To create pressure.
S: What's pressure?
C: Um.... It's what makes the sprinklers work down in the valley...
S: Oh. How do they get the water up here?
C: They pump it.
S: How do they pump it?
C: They... um... Can you see our house from up here?

Not that pumps aren't Chad's specialty, I just think that wasn't quite the conversation he'd envisioned having with his son on their outing. When they got back, Samuel told me all about it. Then he, you guessed it, had a question for me. "Mom, what does that tank shoot?"