26. The Gaming Console (6/6)
That was one problem definitely solved.
I forgot about the whole matter. One day I saw its ugly head poking from under the beach towels but I thought someone had gone to the pool or the beach or some exotic holiday. Instead of thinking that someone had been in there, I was reassured that it had not moved and that I still knew where it was. I pushed it back under the towels for good measure.
Yet at the back of my mind was this feeling that it could not have been forgotten that easily. Why were these kids not bugging me about it not being banned anymore? They could not be that obedient. Not my lot!
One day out of the blue, baby of the family said:
'Mum! Is the PlayStation broken?'
I looked shocked and replied in horror:
'What on earth makes you say that? It is banned. Until further notice.'
I thought I could see her exchange knowing looks with her siblings.
Family life went on and I rejoice at being the perfect parent. Until recently when it all came out of the hat. Lockdown is to be blamed for that.
'Mum'
'Yes'
'My sister and I have got a project. A real one! Please say yes!'
'I'm sure I will but it's best if you tell me what it is about.'
'We're going to do up the attic!'
'Sounds good! But what do you mean exactly?'
'Well, you know, we will dust and paint the beams and clean the bricks. Then put plasterboard on the back wall, paint it and stuff and ... and them we'll take the couch, you know, you say you ant a new one ... so ...'
'Yes' his sister interrupts, 'we'll put couches and bean bags up there ... and a projector ...'
'Good idea! Movie nights up there?'
Silence. I could smell a rat. The four of them looked at each other. Then burst out laughing.
'Mum, come off it! You know we want the PS4 up there! And we know it is broken!'
...
'We know YOU broke it.'
...
'Yes! I remember you took it upstairs and then we heard this banging!'
...
'And you know, it is really broken! Because when you went away on a weekend with dad that time. We got it downstairs and tried it on and it did not work at all. It's really broken properly! '
' Do you know how much it cost? I checked up! It's quite a lot of money!'
'I even tried to fix it. I called Tom (the cousin) because his mum had done exactly the same! But his mum felt bad about it and so they fixed it together. But we could not fix ours over the phone. Anyway I think it's better broken than Tom's.'
I thought about it poking through the beach towels that time.
'So please can we get it out and fix it? When the attic is done up?'
As they get older I've realised I get to learn about the things they did and hid from us parents. They feel it's safe after a few years.
I give a vague agreement to the project thinking it is a huge project, it will take time (hopefully they'll be back in school soon, fingers crossed) so it is safe enough to agree in principle.
Or is it going to be the start of season 2? 😱
I forgot about the whole matter. One day I saw its ugly head poking from under the beach towels but I thought someone had gone to the pool or the beach or some exotic holiday. Instead of thinking that someone had been in there, I was reassured that it had not moved and that I still knew where it was. I pushed it back under the towels for good measure.
Yet at the back of my mind was this feeling that it could not have been forgotten that easily. Why were these kids not bugging me about it not being banned anymore? They could not be that obedient. Not my lot!
One day out of the blue, baby of the family said:
'Mum! Is the PlayStation broken?'
I looked shocked and replied in horror:
'What on earth makes you say that? It is banned. Until further notice.'
I thought I could see her exchange knowing looks with her siblings.
Family life went on and I rejoice at being the perfect parent. Until recently when it all came out of the hat. Lockdown is to be blamed for that.
'Mum'
'Yes'
'My sister and I have got a project. A real one! Please say yes!'
'I'm sure I will but it's best if you tell me what it is about.'
'We're going to do up the attic!'
'Sounds good! But what do you mean exactly?'
'Well, you know, we will dust and paint the beams and clean the bricks. Then put plasterboard on the back wall, paint it and stuff and ... and them we'll take the couch, you know, you say you ant a new one ... so ...'
'Yes' his sister interrupts, 'we'll put couches and bean bags up there ... and a projector ...'
'Good idea! Movie nights up there?'
Silence. I could smell a rat. The four of them looked at each other. Then burst out laughing.
'Mum, come off it! You know we want the PS4 up there! And we know it is broken!'
...
'We know YOU broke it.'
...
'Yes! I remember you took it upstairs and then we heard this banging!'
...
'And you know, it is really broken! Because when you went away on a weekend with dad that time. We got it downstairs and tried it on and it did not work at all. It's really broken properly! '
' Do you know how much it cost? I checked up! It's quite a lot of money!'
'I even tried to fix it. I called Tom (the cousin) because his mum had done exactly the same! But his mum felt bad about it and so they fixed it together. But we could not fix ours over the phone. Anyway I think it's better broken than Tom's.'
I thought about it poking through the beach towels that time.
'So please can we get it out and fix it? When the attic is done up?'
As they get older I've realised I get to learn about the things they did and hid from us parents. They feel it's safe after a few years.
I give a vague agreement to the project thinking it is a huge project, it will take time (hopefully they'll be back in school soon, fingers crossed) so it is safe enough to agree in principle.
Or is it going to be the start of season 2? 😱
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