Dirty Looks

You would think a mom would know better because she's been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt.

So there I was...

We went to get lunch at the Wright Brothers Cafe on Hickam AFB. On the way there, little A fell asleep in the back of the car, so E stayed with him in the car while I took the other three boys in to get lunch.

Wait, backtrack a moment. Allow me to explain something first.

The mere suggestion - ney, UTTERANCE of certain words in front of the boys will throw them into a wild frenzy the likes of which shark hunters have never seen. LW and I are very cautious not to mention such forbidden words in front of the canine-like hearing senses of our children and have come up with other means of communication such as code words or typing to each other on instant messenger across the family room. Even that isn't totally secure, for ES has discovered we use it as a means of covert communications and will race to one of our computers to read what we wrote when he hears the little "blip-blip" signifying an IM message sent or received.

Okay, now back to our story.

So there I was...

Standing in line at the Wright Brothers Cafe. I ask the boys for the third time what they want to eat. Suddenly, the lady in front of me turns around with a Cheshire Cat grin and says, "You boys should have the ICE CREAM!"

I winced and froze in my tracks while I waited for the unanimous choral "ICE CREAM!" response that I expected from the boys.

Thankfully, it was just a close call. In all the noise of the restaurant and the boys' natural state of perpetual motion, the signal-to-noise ratio was low enough that the "ice cream" suggestion didn't cross the threshold of their consciousness.

Even so, if looks could kill... I think I either scared or pissed off the lady with the angry lack of humor in the facial expression I shot back at her to convey, "You did NOT just say that in front of these kids!!!" She actually looked somewhat offended by my facial expression and lack of appreciation for her sense of humor.

She quickly turned back around to place the orders for her and her middle school aged daughter. That's the part that really gets me though. The fact that she's a mom and presumably she's had to deal with kids screaming, "I want ice cream!" at some time in her parenting experience makes me think she should know better.

Thank goodness it was just a close call.

And now, speaking of ice cream, LW is sending me subliminal messages that she wants some.