5.08.2006

Payback


Lo spent most of the weekend with Mamoo, who seemed a little too happy and anxious to have her over. It's not that Mamoo isn't always quick to invite and glad about the visits, but there was an edge to the excitement this time when she called--extra early in the week, on Tuesday.

I had an inkling it might have something to do with her across-the-street-neighbor-kid, whom we'll call Tommy. The boy had banned Lo from his trampoline the previous weekend--had actually banished her to the sidelines, while all the other kids on the street took multiple turns. Well, Mamoo had witnessed this from her living room window and went over to give him what's what. Mind you, these are six-year-olds we're talking about, but Mamoo was pissed. And she wasn't about to let it go.

"I want you to drop Lo off on Saturday afternoon," she instructed, "and bring her swimsuit--the red one. Do you know what the extended forecast is?"

"Did you get a new wading pool?" I asked, beginning to worry.

"Oh no, even better. Rhonda and I were at Wal-Mart yesterday, and we found something that will teach that bratty Tommy a lesson."

Two hundred dollars, this waterslide cost her. It was like Browning's Pied Piper:

Small feet were pattering, wooden shoes clattering,
Little hands clapping, and little tongues chattering,
And, like fowls in a farm-yard when barley is scattering,
Out came the children running.
All the little boys and girls,
With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls,
And sparkling eyes and teeth like pearls,
Tripping and skipping, ran merrily after
The wonderful music with shouting and laughter.



I didn't get my revenge gene from nobody, Ladies and Gentlemen.

9 comments:

minus five said...

since your mom likes to pay money to get people back, will you email me her address so i can send her a list of people i would like to torture?

her official title: revenge philanthropist.
i'll even make her business cards.

Mary Campbell said...

I think it's kind of sweet...though I hesitate to admit that in a public forum...but then, I romanticize the idea of someone standing up for me...and yet, the irony, is that I'm quite certain I would dig in my heels and resist it were someone to attempt it.

Anonymous said...

minus five, sorry, this pay-back applies only to my children and grandchildren. but, i do like the title.

Anonymous said...

Awesome!!!

Collin Kelley said...

Ooooh, I want one of those for my bedroom. ;-)

Tania Rochelle said...

Collin, way to take a perfectly innocent revenge-on-a-child story and turn it into something dirty.

Collin Kelley said...

I should be spanked. Heeee..

minus five said...

i'm starting to get your blog confused with create+change and mary and anne's blogs because you've become an infrequent poster.

even if you have to steal ideas from oprah, put something up.

Mary Campbell said...

yeah, what the hell...I am soooooooooooo bored over here....I'm falling asleep. C'MON...poke us in the ribs, T!!!!

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