Not The Mama

Pam: I’m always telling you unflattering stories about my boss Archie so I thought I’d tell you a different kind.

Ann: You mean he did something right?

Pam: Sort of…he was telling me today this past weekend he took on two full days of babysitting for his two grandsons.

Ann: Really? Overnight?

Pam: Yep.

Ann: That’s quite a job! How old are they now?

Pam: I think they’re going into first and third grade. The younger one might just be going into Kindergarten…I’m not sure.

Ann: How’d it go?

Pam: It sounds like it went fine. I guess he does this occasionally when his son and daughter-in-law drive to a nearby city to check on her folks. Saturday night he took them to one of those pizza places that has all the kid’s arcade games.

Ann: I know that would wear ME out and Archie’s got a few years on me. The boys are old enough to tell time. I think I would’ve had to move the clocks and put them to bed early.

Pam: That shouldn’t have been a problem. Archie’s daughter-in-law left strict instructions for a 9:30 bedtime. She tries to keep them on a regular schedule. That’s probably why they’re so well behaved. She really is a good mom.

Ann: So he only had to last until 9:30? I could probably manage that.

Pam: But he went way past it. Being the fun-loving grandpa, they were all up playing until nearly midnight. But Archie says it’s okay because after 9:30 they were all playing in bed.

Ann: Oh no! I don’t think their mom is going to accept the technicality. Did she find out?

Pam: Well at lunch on Sunday, just before their parents came home, Archie told the boys, “Remember, if Mama asks, you guys were in bed by 9:30. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it!”

Ann: Well, I guess that’s a version of the truth. How’d it go over? Did the boys remember what to say?

Pam: The little one remembered too well. When his mother asked what time they got to bed, he said “We were in bed by 9:30. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it!”