10/10/2010

Who is responsible for teaching these children to talk, anyway? Because in retrospect, it seems like a really bad idea.



A few weeks ago, I had a yard sale.

But that's only a small part of this story but I'm a sucker to link to my own blog posts like that.

This story actually begins right after the yard sale had ended.

The kids and I were home, trying to recover from a day of haggling over my junk with my neighbors and trying to get myself ready for a date night (out to eat, which will become important later), when the doorbell rang.

Here's a little background for you.  Until a year or so ago, whenever the doorbell rang, I usually ignored it.  If I didn't invite you, I probably don't want to see you.  It's beautiful in its simplicity, no?  But once zj got old enough to walk, and talk, and have opinions, he has welcomed the thought of random strangers in our house.  He greets the UPS man, the Jehovah's Witnesses and the magazine subscription salespeople with equal enthusiasm.  Much to my dismay.

On this particular day, when the doorbell rang, I immediately ran in the opposite direction, toward zj, in hopes of intercepting him before he opened the door.  But he's quick for a little guy.

He opened the door to a well-dressed, well-spoken young lady, who addressed him. "Are you the gentleman of the house?"

By this point I had put on a bra made my way to the door, and I was greeted with equal respect.  "And you must be the lady of the house."

Pleasantries about the neighborhood, the weather, and zj were exchanged, then she got to the heart of her visit.

Lovely saleslady: "For just $29.99, you can buy these coupons to Restaurant X, which entitle you to half of your purchase yada yada yada blah blah blah..."

Mj: "Oh thanks for the offer, but we don't really eat out all that much."

Zj: "Mama, isn't that where you're going tonight?"

Mj: "No honey, we are going to a different place, but we don't go out very often..."

Lovely saleslady: "But of course you have a full year to use all these fabulous coupons and yada yada yada blah blah blah..."

Mj: "Thanks anyway, but I really don't want to spend the money on that sort of thing right now."

Zj (directed at Lovely Saleslady): "My Mama had a yard sale today and made LOTS and LOTS of money.  She has so many dollars I can't count that high.  And I can count weally, weally, weally high.  See? One, two, three, mufleblargsmush" as my hand goes over his mouth and I start dragging him back into the house.


Mj: "Thanks anyway and I think our neighbors across the street eat out a lot and thanks anyway and" -  slams door.

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