Today you get only a tidbit of humor from me. Tyler has been on travel to Washington this week, so my week has been hectic as I hit the road early and then push through my day to get out early and get home to give Jaci a break with the kids. In case you can't hear it in my tone of typing, my commute is starting to get to me. But I digress.
Last night when I got home from work, Boston was very busy with his new SpyGear toys from his Colorado grandparents and totally disinterested in another evening at Mill Creek Park, so I got the evening off.
A button had come off one of the large throw pillows on the living room couch and it had been on my mending pile for several weeks, so I grabbed the pillow and button, along with a needle and thread, and headed downstairs to sit in front of the TV while I sewed the button back on. As soon as I sat down, I realized I had forgotten to bring scissors.
Ridley was plopped on the couch watching Tom and Jerry. She who is ever the pleaser would surely want to bring Grandma some scissors, right?
Grandma: "Ridley, do you know where there are some scissors?"
Ridley: "No."
Pause as I figure out how to rephrase the question for this child who is the crown princess of drawing and cutting.
Grandma: "Ridley, when you want to cut some paper, do you know where to get some scissors?"
Ridley: "Yes."
No further action as she turns back to Tom and Jerry. Boston and I look at each other and shake our heads. I should have just asked him, but he was busy with his Spygear and she had already admitted to knowing where the scissors were. I thought I'd try again.
Grandma: "Ridley, do you know where there are some scissors?"
Ridley: "No."
Shorter pause while astonishment bubbles to the surface. Re-form next question while trying to keep tone of voice in check as this is the child who will cry with the slightest provocation.
Grandma: "Ridley, when you want to cut some paper, do you know where to get some scissors?"
Ridley: "Yes."
Grandma, voice rising: "Where do you get them?"
Ridley: "In the kitchen drawer."
Grandma: "Would you please go get them from the kitchen drawer for me?"
By this time, Boston and I are laughing. He suggested she really didn't want to leave Tom and Jerry to go get the scissors for me.
When her mother got home from the gym later, her thought was that Ridley couldn't imagine that I wanted kids' scissors.
I wanted anything that would cut thread! Anything!!
2 comments:
In all fairness, "Do you know" is a yes/no question. "Would you please come help me find some scissors" is a more effective way to get a child off the TV-watching couch and engaged in the act of procuring scissors. I say this as someone who also would probably respond yes/no to the first question.
I was so certain the answer to the first question would be "yes", that I was simply floored when she answered "no". And my lap was filled with pillow, button, thread, needle, and so on. I wasn't going to get up to get her to lead me to the scissors.
I really must perfect my cross-examination techniques!
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