Communication malfunction

Generally, AJ's pretty easy to understand. I can't remember the last time he stumped us this badly.

Driving home from dinner last night, AJ announced, "I need to wear wet pants and pennies to school tomorrow."

Come again?

"Wet pants and pennies," he repeated. "We're having a parade. I made a flag."

Jeff and I turned to each other and stared. Dumbfounded.

I don't recall if AJ mentioned shoes, but somehow I figured out that pennies really meant "tennies", as in tennis shoes. But wet pants?

"Red pants?" Jeff guessed.

"No, wet pants. WWWETTTT pants," AJ repeated.

"AJ, is there a note about this in your backpack?" I asked hopefully.

"No," he said with growing frustration. "I really know this. Trust me."

"Why do the pants have to be wet?"

"Because we're having a parade for the Olympics."

"Are you talking about SCUBA diver pants? Or a swimsuit?" Jeff tried to guess.

"No. WET PANTS," AJ tried to over-enunciate.

"I think what we'll do is send you to school in dry pants. And if they really need to be wet, then you can let your teacher pour water on them," I suggested.

AJ was not satisfied.

"AJ, tell us again why you need wet pants," Jeff said.

"We're going to have a parade in the gym, and teacher said we should wear wet pants and tennies."

I was still confused, but the word "gym" gave Jeff the clue he needed to solve the mystery.

"Sweat pants?"

Aha! I'm guessing they're going to have the kids pretend to be Olympic athletes, parade through the gym, and then do some kind of exercise. AJ actually has a pair of wind pants with an Olympic logo on it. What are the chances that they're clean?

***Quick update*** There WAS a note in his backpack. It said:
We will be having our own
Preschool Olympic Winter Games
Thursday, February 25th
Please wear clothing to be active and gym shoes!

And no, AJ's pants weren't clean. But they were clean enough, and he's happily wearing them.