I may have done a very good or a very bad thing.

Grandboy was fantasizing about a combo washer & dryer invention. After he finished describing it I told him he needed to write down the idea on paper so other people would know he came up with the idea. The word “patent” was mentioned…

He immediately grasped the idea of monetizing intellectual property. He said he’d let the people who made the things keep 1 out of every 10 dollars because, “you know, it WAS my idea but it would be selfish of me to keep all the money”.

We kept driving for a bit and then another idea hit him.

Grandboy: Hey grandpa!

Me: Hm?

Grandboy: I can alsoly come up with an invention for the MILITARY and the government would have to give me money for my idea. They have a lot of money and that would last a long time, right grandpa?

Me: Well, we’ll see about that

— later, as we’re getting out of the truck

Grandboy: O grandpa I came up with the idea of opening the truck door for me so now you have to pay me FIFTEEN DOLLARS

Me: Well that’s not how it works, boy. First it has to be an idea for something someone can make. Then you gotta…

Grandboy: DOOR HANDLES

Me: …gotta WRITE IT DOWN BOY. And you have make sure someone else hasn’t already owned the patent. That’s why writing and reading is so important. You’ll get to ‘rithmetic once you’re counting all your money.