Two years ago, as my husband and I entered our fifties,
we moved across the street from my parents who are in their
seventies,
with our two children who are in their twenties.
Life here is never dull.
One of my chief sources of cheap entertainment
is to call each of my parents and hear the same story from
two very different perspectives:
"Hi Dad, is mom feeling any better from the flu
today?"
"I was just up at the house and she was pretty busy in
the kitchen. She must be improving!"
"Hi Mom, how are you feeling?"
"Terrible! I tried to get myself something for lunch
and I was so shaky, I dropped a bowl of leftover stew. It broke and splattered
all over the floor. I'm exhausted! I had to clean it up, vacuum, and wash the
kitchen floor."
"Hey Dad, what's new today?"
"The dog's very worried about me since I got home from
my trip."
"The dog's worried about you?"
"Yes. Every time I go to leave the house now, he makes
a big deal about it. I think he's worried I'll go away again."
"Hi Mom, what's up?"
"Oh, your father's driving the dog crazy. Every since
he got back from his trip, he can't leave the house without hugging the dog a
hundred time and repeating, 'I promise I'll come back,' 'don't worry, don't
worry. I'll be back.' It takes him ten minute to say good-bye just to drive
down to pick up the mail!"
"Hi Dad, you sound like you don't feel well."
"Your mother messed up my pills. Instead of cutting my
water pill in half, she cut my blood pressure pill in half. Good thing I caught
her mistake after only three days!"
"Hi Mom, Dad says he had some problem with his
medication."
"Oh, that man! He cut his blood pressure pill in half
instead of his water pill! It's a good thing I check his meds every few days
and caught his mistake this morning."
Last week, I came home from work to find a pile of dishes on
the counter from the night before. My daughter and son were studying at the
kitchen table.
"Oh, that makes me so angry. Your father said he'd take
care of those after dinner last night and they're still here."
My kids looked at one another and laughed.
"What's going on?" I asked.
My daughter answered, "Dad just came through and said
that YOU said YOU were going to do them."
"He did?" I asked.
"Yeah," replied my son, "But don't worry.
Listening to you two tell the same story two different ways if half the
entertainment around here."
Sigh. He said, she
said - the geezer version!
Lori Stanley Roeleveld is a disturber of hobbits who enjoys
making comfortable Christians continually late for dinner. She authors the blog, Deeper with Jesus in Rhode Island. She’s seeking a publisher for
her speculative Celtic adventure, The
Overcomers. Her articles appear in numerous magazines.Back in the dark ages, Lori earned degrees in Psychology and
Biblical Studies and more recently, a black belt in karate. She’s a wife, mom,
crisis counselor, and part-time dragon slayer.
