Out of the mouths of babes (sort of)

Apropos of nothing except a stray memory, a bit of doggerel based on a conversation between my wife and son about a quarter century ago (fused with a misperception of my sister's, about a half century ago):

Human Beans

"Before I was born, what did I do?"

"It's hard to say--you weren't yet you."

"Where did I wait? Did I stand or sit?"

"Don't know. You weren't anywhere yet."

"Well then, where did I come from?"

"You grew from a seed. Inside Mommy's tum."

"Inside Mommy?  What did I do?"

"Just rested and waited. And grew and grew."

"Grew? Like the bean plant out of the bean?"

"Exactly."

            --"And so I'm a human bean?"

"Exactly."

--"And you were a seed that grew?

"I was. And everyone else was, too."

"And when you die, are you planted--like new?"

"Maybe. I think so."

--"I think so, too."