It was intermission...time to head to the Restroom. (To this day, I am not sure why my husband, Ron, did not go to the restroom with the boys.) Keep in mind that at intermission, EVERYONE heads to the restroom. The Restroom becomes a hub of activity with a waiting line just to get in. Also, keep in mind, we are in in West Palm Beach. The place was crawling with uppities! (I guess that is a word..I just invented it!) After waiting in line, Jeffrey and I both enter separate Ladies Room stalls. Knowing he would finish first, I gave instructions for him to wait for me at the sink after he washed his hands. Trust me...he was obedient and he waited at the sink. However, he did not wait silently.
As I was still in the stall, he began to talk to me from the sink area, remember, the place is packed with people so this was not a quiet conversation. Here is how it went.....
"Mom?"
"Yes, Jeffrey"
"Napkins are 25 cents in here!!!! What a Rip Off!!!! We get them for free in the Men's Room."
"Jeffrey, I will be out in a minute, just wait quietly" At this point, I am laughing in the stall, but also not wanting to come out and make eye contact with anyone.
"Mom, do you pay 25 cents for Napkins in here? That's a RIP OFF!"
"Jeffrey, I will talk to you when I get out there, please wait quietly, I will be there in just a minute"
At about the time I was ready to leave the stall and let the entire room know who Jeffrey's mom was, he started up again.....This time, he was spelling....
"Mom, What is a T-A-M-P....."
Mid-spelling, I walked out of the stall and interrupted him. All eyes were on me. All the stares were trying not to burst out into laughter. I just knew I could not make eye contact with any one in that room or I would start laughing or crying. I quickly washed my hands, quieted Jeffrey, and left the Ladies Room. Once outside the Ladies Room, we had a "talk".
So much for the night of culture, manners, and class. Jeffrey got a side education and I got a laugh that is still with me 15 years later.
From this point forward, whenever it was safe and/or possible, it was the Men's Room for Jeffrey and his brothers.
Jeffrey is getting married 3 weeks from today!!! I love you, Jeffrey!
For those with young children.... you will make it through the child-raising, and so will they!
2 comments:
It seems like about 10 is the right age.. after this story anyway!
However, I think it's so much nicer when businesses offer a family restroom. The community pool where we take the kids for swim lessons.. they have a mens/womens and family. When you take young boys through the family one.. you don't have to worry about them being exposed to parts they shouldn't and you don't have to send them alone through the mens. It's one of the reasons we keep taking the kids back there. Especially when I'm alone and in charge of my nephews.. I want to have my eyes on them at all times in public places. :)
Too funny!!
I think it's easier to take boys into the ladies room than to take girls into the men's room. If I'm busy, NY takes the Princess with him and the boys to the men's room however I always nag about not letting them especially her touch anything including the toilet seat. "Hang her over it!" I say. I am a germaphobic though. I even have the boys getting their paper towels and then washing their hands and turning or opening everything with the towel and not their hands. Of course we eat dirt in the backyard! Go figure.
Sometimes monkey boy refuses to use the ladies room and I stand outside and holler at him the whole time, "Are you okay?" "Is anyone near you?" At seven years old he's totally humiliated. "Grandmaaaaa!"
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