Balance Restored, and Possibilities Expanded

On Sunday morning, Amy informed me that we would not be visiting the cinema later that day, largely because Daniel had called her an idiot.  I had no idea any theater-going had been in the works, but it ultimately turned out that we didn't go to see any movies because we couldn't find a suitable one, and we Sunday was too nice a day to spend in a theater.  (Amy's idea.)

In any case, Ian asked me whether we were going to the movies, and I told him I didn't think so, because Daniel had called Mommy an idiot.  Painfully logical as so often he is, he didn't see why the  offense of one should be commuted to an entire generation of movie-loving youth.  But he was also speculating that maybe Daniel had actually learned such a behavior from his victim/mother.  I pointed out that Mommy doesn't call people idiots - certainly to a child, to his face.  Ian then guessed that maybe Daniel had heard the term from a particular adult friend of the family...  But then he alleged that Mommy does suffer from the vice of name-calling.

As silly as such a thought seemed at the time, as we were getting ready to leave, Ian and I heard, across one floor and several rooms, what sounded like Mommy saying to somebody, and probably not Madeleine, "YOU are a SPOILED BRAT!"

At that point, Ian saw a glimmer of hope, and even utility, where others might only feel pain and confusion.  He pointed out that Daniel and Mommy were now even, and he was going to point that out to the newly vindicated Mommy.

I think he thought that this development now evened up the score, freeing us up to go to the movies after all, now that nobody was grossly in anybody else's debt in the name-calling department.  This never would have occurred to my own simpler, less driven, less disciplined mind.  I don't know if he actually shared the thought with Mommy, but I think it was probably a good idea.

(July 28, 2012)