268. Ghost story (3)

I should never have brought the ghost story up. The kids are arguing like never before. But that's not the worse of it, the worse of it is that they are now arguing about the sanity of their parents' mind. And seem to agree on one point ...

'I mean she's right. I mean, like, mum ... she keeps asking me the same stuff over and over and over again. Like I've told her a hundred times that I was going to Spain with Lilly and then like, last night she asked me: is it Lucy going to Spain with you?'

'Same here. I said I need all these papers for my flat right, like, all the papers, I listed them all and even wrote a mail and wrote a text and like she CALLS ME ON THE TELEPHONE!!!! To ask what papers I needed!'

'Yes! (Baby speaking now) I asked for 50 Euros and she went OK there you are, what nice stuff are you gonna buy with this?'

'Don't say gonna.' 

Pause. 

'You know they've even stopped telling us to stop saying gonna ... even dad!!!'

Pause.

'I mean maybe they're just getting old.'

'Yes, but all parents are old and getting even older! Yet they don't ask their kids whether they've seen a ghost ... and they don't plan to drive across Africa in a collector's car.'

A pregnant pause.

'Yes (our son speaking now). I just got back and I stay out till 3AM and all mum says to me is did you have a good time?'

I laugh listening to the four of them talking like this but at the same time I am a little worried. I go up the stairs and the four of them are immediately asking they can help.

'Yes! Plenty of dishes to do down there.'

Which sends them all back to a proper argument. I prefer that.

We all go down the creaky stairs and everything is normal on the first landing. As we get into the lounge, the dog is at the bottom of the stairs. He won't move and we have to insist to push him out the way. He barks and makes that deep growl sound which normally reminds me of a teenager answering back. Right now it just sounds like a freaked out dog.

The kids don't bring up the matter, nor do I. But Ralph the dog looks as if he's seen a ghost.