When watching this story on the news this a.m., it reminded me of something my mother once told me when I was a child.
We were at some store, probably K-Mart, when I noticed a sign next to the restroom that said "No Merchandise Allowed Beyond This Point".
Innocently, I wondered why, and asked Mom-- Why can't you take merchandise into the bathroom.
Clearly, I did not understand theft.
Instead of explaining the concept of thievery, she told me something along the lines of:
"Well, a bad person could take a child into the bathroom, cut and color their hair, and sneak them out of the store unrecognized."
Ok-- That is a little scary, don't you think? One might say that is more harsh than explaining theft. Just saying. Then again, not out of the realm of possibility entirely.
Another of my favorite exchanges with my Mother, which, btw, she adamantly denies having, involved my desire for a swimming pool in our backyard.
It was HOT in the summer in Louisiana-- AFRICA HOT, you might say-- and a nice in-ground pool would have been much appreciated. Heck, our neighbor behind us and slightly diagonal had a pool with a diving board AND a slide.
So, innocently, I asked if we could have a pool.
She didn't skip a beat-- "No."
Naturally, I asked why the denial (as a child is prone to do), and again, she didn't skip a beat-- "The City won't allow two this close together."
Well, she could have shut me up, I assure you, with the simple explanation that they cost too much (I was sure we were destitute based on my Father's denial of cheese on my burger at McDonald's alone-- more on that later), are a pain to maintain, and well, she cannot swim. Instead, she invoked imaginary building enforcement code.
I'm not sure why she chose to explain things the way she did. Perhaps she was bored. Perhaps this was my 4000th question of the day, and she just needed some additional authority behind her explanation in order to avoid question #4001.
In any case, I survived, without a pool, without abduction, and without McDonald's cheese on my burger ("We have cheese at home"-- CB). Here is a a picture of us from the Fourth Of July weekend:
So, what did your parents tell you as a child that makes you laugh (or just shake your head) today?
I also begged and pleaded for a swimming pool. Well I finally got what I dreamed of a beautiful pool. When the guys came out to "design" the layout, size, style etc. My dad insisted it only be 4 feet deep. I of course copped a 13 year old attitude. The pool guy laughed... at my dad, and proceeded to tell him he was crazy for only wanting a 4 foot deep pool. Finally they agreed on a 5 foot deep pool, to my dismay. When they pool guys were leaving he tapped me on the shoulder and said it will be more like 6 feet, just dont tell anyone.
ReplyDeleteWhen they came out to dig the hole for the pool, it was such an exciting day! I remember watching the guys with backhoes and drills dig this huge hole for my pool!! About mid day we heard one of the guys go, ut oh. We of course wondered what happened. My mom and I went down to find out what it was, he said, well you see we were digging out the rock, and it just appears you will have a pool that is about 7 or so feet deep. Oooopss it ending up being aobut 8 feet, much better than my dads wish of 4 feet. My mom and I just laughed, and I allowed my mom to explain the unfortanate (hehe) story to him. Oh and the reason he wanted a 4 foot deep pool, he couldnt swim. Parentals, gotta love em!