I stopped at the supermarket on my way home to pick up some salad stuff and was at the checkout with a harassed mother and small boy about 6 or so behind me in the queue. The overheard conversation went something like this:
Boy: Look Mom, that gum is only 79 cents.
Mother: No.
Boy: But just 79 cents. That's not a lot.
Mother: No.
Mother gets on cell phone to husband:
Do we need guinea pig food and that bedding stuff? Silence. Obviously husband screwed up here.
'Well, I'll get it now. I'll get the cedar chips. Perhaps the fumes will help shorten its little life span."
All the time, the boy is chanting, 'Look Mom, gum, 79 cents, get it? Mom?? Gum is only 79 cents.'
Finally the mother turns to the boy and says ' Ten minutes earlier to bed for every time you say that again. Get it?'
Boy: I never really liked that gum anyway...'
I couldn't help but chuckle at the eavesdropped conversation. And thank my lucky stars that I didn't have small children anymore!
The photograph is downtown Flatrock with a harp seal snoozing on the rocks of the harbour. Seals are common around Newfoundland and come to shore from time to time. I even met one on Water Street a few years ago, that was in the heart of St. John's!
2 comments:
This post brought a big smile to my face - and I've never heard that particular riposte before but sounds like it works to me!
It was funny Katherine. I was trying so hard not to laugh out loud and the mother was at the verge of utter frustration and probably would have been very rude to me. But I did chuckle all the way home...
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