Old Tricks, Even Older Dogs

It’s Sunday and I’d been at the grandkids’ house since early (very) Saturday morning and got home around 6:30 this evening.    

It was hot and humid today so the kids and I went swimming in their pool.  Granddaughter “S.”, age seven and three-quarters, had a pair of swim fins, a mask and a snorkle that she’d glommed onto at the beginning of the swim.  Grandson “C.”, age nine, was clearly coveting these articles and managed to finagle one swim fin away from his younger sister and was pleading his case for her to give him a turn at the mask. 

“S.” obviously wasn’t in a sharing mood.  There were some words, and Memaw had to intone that if they weren’t going to take turns, then Memaw was going to confiscate the offending articles. 

With a great show of humility, little “S.” took off the fins and the mask and brought them out of the pool, laying them somewhat reverently at my feet.  She sighed (a bit too dramatically) and said that, yes, if she and “C.” were going to fight over them, then perhaps the best thing was for no one to be using them.

Uh-huh.  Memaw wasn’t born yesterday.  

She could spot this manipulation coming a mile away. 

I think this trick was old when Eddie Haskell tried it on the Beaver’s mother.

I suppressed a laugh and informed “S.” that her little ruse wasn’t going to work. 

She would have to share with her brother. 

Her saintly demeanor immediately deflated and she smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand, letting out a little wail.

“Ohhh….I always make it worse!” 

Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill anytime.