Annie, her five-year-old daughter, was sitting at the table coloring.
Jack, Annie’s father strolled into the kitchen.
"No bacon?" He asked.
"No money," Barbara replied.
"You want I should rob a bank?"
"What's the jail time?"
"Ten, maybe twenty years?"
"Oh— then, go rob one."
"Yeah, well— um— I'm not eating pancakes without bacon."
“I told you. No money.”
"Since when?’
"Since you cut back on grocery cash."
"You think I'm stingy?"
"Yes!"
“I want my bacon.”
"No bacon.” She held up a spatula. “Here’s a pancake."
Mom flung. Dad ducked. Pancake slapped the wall.
Jack stormed out of the house.
Barbara glanced at her daughter. "I'm sorry, sweetie. After I clean up the mess, I'll fix your breakfast." She smiled. "I have something special."
"What about Daddy?"
Her mother looked out of the window over the sink.
"Go get him. He's watering the trees.”
Annie put down her crayon, jumped up, and ran outside.
Barbara strolled to the refrigerator and took out the bacon.