Smoke, Spoke, a Stem and Steam

Chance and I had a conversation on the way to school today that went something like this:

"Chance, look, there is smoke rising up over there." I said pointing.
"Ya, spoke makes clouds." Chance informed me.
"Smoke makes clouds?" I verified.
"No, spoke."
"It's sm-oke." I said enunciating the word.
"My friend on the bus said it is spoke!" Chance said.

He obviously felt that I was in the wrong. His friend on the bus is also deaf, so spoke probably sounded right to both of them.

"Listen, " I said and then I spelled out smoke and spoke to Chance highlighting the difference in the words.
"Smoke is the white stuff that rises up into the sky and a spoke is the long things on the wheels of your bike."

"Oh." Chance said a little deflated.
You are right though, smoke makes clouds." 'Do you know what else makes clouds?" Steam makes clouds too. Do you know what steam is?"
"I know what that is!" Chance replied enthusiastically.
"That's the thing on the top of the tomato!"
"Oh, a stem? You are right, tomatoes have stems. Pumpkins have stems too."
This led to a conversation about foods that have stems.
"Steam, I said drawing out the word, is the stuff that comes out of the pan when it is bubbling or hot."
"Oh ya!" Chance said enthusiastically." And there is more steam in the winter!"
"Hot chocolate has steam and if you take it outside on a cold day, it will have even more steam. I will show you when it gets cold outside. We will take our hot chocolate outside and watch the steam."
"Yeah!" Chance said contented.

Amazing. Being just one letter off, completely changes the context of what you are talking about. Kind of makes me glad that I can hear all of the letters most of the time. It also makes me appreciate all the more that Chance is literally learning to hear with his implants. What a kid.