Figure It Out

By Chris

Teenagers are knuckleheads. Without giving all the details, Lauren tried to assert too much independence yesterday. Now, I'm all for independence, but I'm also for doing it appropriately. Respectfully. Made me mad. Stewed us for a good little while. Then, we get a call from her. Teresa refers it downstairs to me. Her car wouldn't start. Perfect set up, I thought. It went something like this:

L: Daddy, my car won't start . . . blah, blah, blah . . . explains the problem . . . so what's wrong with it?"

Me: I don't know. I'm not a mechanic. Since you're grown up enough to blah, blah, blah . . . figure it out. click!!!.

Back to tv-watching I went. A little while later, Teresa asks . .. "When are you going to get Lauren?" "I'm not," I said. Now, she was mad at her too, but I sensed she thought I had gone too far. I was scared for a minute. Teresa is sweet and all, but messing with her babies is a perilous venture. The child eventually showed up. Got a ride from a friend. Squirmed a little. Put her tail between her legs. And . . . I handled the car situation.