Mom, where are the dinosaurs?

Life with a 4 year old is life on the edge - you never know what's going to happen and you certainly can never anticipate what's going to come out of their mouths. Kael has lots of deep thoughts and they usually come out when we're in the car, when I'm unable to think on my feet as I'm concentrating on getting from point A to point B in a safe manner.

Yesterday on the way home from school he said he wanted to go to the zoo to see dinosaurs. I said we can go to the museum to see dinosaur bones.

Kael: No, mom, I don't want to see dinosaur bones. I want to see real dinosaurs.
Me: You can't see real dinosaurs, honey. They aren't around anymore.

I hear a warning bell ringing faintly in my head but I'm driving so I don't give it much heed.

Kael: Why not, mom? Why can't I see them?

The bell is ringing louder now; I'm starting to pay attention to his questions, but still not fully realizing where this is headed.

Me: Dinosaurs lived a long time ago but they... they just aren't around anymore. They... umm, they all died. But you can see their bones and pictures, and imagine what they looked like it. It's really cool!

There is a definite blaring in my ears now, complete with flashing red lights: Warning! Warning! Danger ahead! Danger ahead!

Kael: Mom, where are the dinosaurs? What happened to them? Why did they all die?

You know that pitiful sound of a fading bell, that kind of sounds like a balloon deflating? That's what I hear now. Along with the thoughts: Oh geez. Why me? WHY ME?

Me (taking a deep breath): Well, a long long time ago, dinosaurs lived on Earth but a large asteroi....

OH. CRAP. How do I tell him this?? It's going to give him nightmares!

Kael: A large what, mom? A large what?? Why did the dinosaurs all die?
Me (taking another deep breath): This happened a really really REALLY long time ago, Kael. A large asteroid hit the Earth and made such a big hole and mess that all the dirt flew in the air and blocked out the sun and it got so cold that the dinosaurs couldn't find anything to eat and they died. But remember: it was a really really REALLY long time ago so you have absolutely NOTHING to worry about, OK?

I'm holding my breath, looking in the rear mirror, watching him stare out the window as I'm driving and I can see him absorbing all this, with a pensive look on his face. I can tell he's trying to work it out in his head and I'm waiting to see what the outcome is.

But all he says is: "Oh."

And he says nothing more on this topic. That tells me he's still mulling it over and it's going to come out later so I better prepare myself for Round 2 of the "Where Did the Dinosaurs Go?" conversation.