Brought to you today by the letter W

So what does the W stand for? asked my youngest son.

Maybe it stands for Wealthy. Or White.

Wanton, perhaps. That means: done maliciously, without regard for what is right.

Wrong. Worm. Wasteful. Weak.

Not worm, my son said. I like worms. They never hurt anyone.

You know how they name streets after places they've bulldozed? Maybe that's it. The W could stand for everything getting crushed under the machine: wolves, wildflowers, woods, wilderness, women.

Perhaps it could stand for Whopper.
A hamburger? asked my son.
No, a Whopper means a big fat lie.

Oh, he said. The W could stand for Weapons of mass destruction, pretend ones.

Yes, I said. And it could stand for Warmonger. Willful.

Widow.
War Wounds.
Weeping.