Hear the gleeful giggling? My teenage daughter has her giggly best friend over.
Here they come, running into the living room giggling with excitement. Daughter is clutching something fresh off the printer. Wide eyed with expectation she hands me the piece of paper without saying a word.
The document is a proposition. The popular boy band of the day is coming to town in a couple of months. The girls would like tickets to the show but can’t afford them at the moment.
Unable to contain herself any longer, “They are the best boy band ever,” she shouts. Well, she has probably heard three or four boy bands in her teen life. This means her sample pool is really small, but I hold my tongue.
“And soooo cute,” chimes in girlfriend triggering a duet of chortling.
Their businesslike proposal is this. I pay for the tickets today; repayment will be by instalments per their after-school jobs.
Yes. Of course, my answer will be yes.
A flash of inspiration! Is it an opening? Do I see an opportunity? I am thinking quickly and come up with this strategy.
Donning a serious frown. I pretend to study their proposal. Finally turn the page over. The reverse is blank. Without looking up I ask, “Where is your repayment schedule?”
The girls turn their heads to look at each other for a moment. Slowly it dawns on them. They didn’t hear a NO. They snatch the page, run, and titter all the way back to the computer.
Hear the sound of conspiratorial whispering mixed with the sound of little chuckles? Now the sound of hesitant clicking of the keyboard.
My aim is to teach an important life lesson. How am I doing?
END
Here they come, running into the living room giggling with excitement. Daughter is clutching something fresh off the printer. Wide eyed with expectation she hands me the piece of paper without saying a word.
The document is a proposition. The popular boy band of the day is coming to town in a couple of months. The girls would like tickets to the show but can’t afford them at the moment.
Unable to contain herself any longer, “They are the best boy band ever,” she shouts. Well, she has probably heard three or four boy bands in her teen life. This means her sample pool is really small, but I hold my tongue.
“And soooo cute,” chimes in girlfriend triggering a duet of chortling.
Their businesslike proposal is this. I pay for the tickets today; repayment will be by instalments per their after-school jobs.
Yes. Of course, my answer will be yes.
A flash of inspiration! Is it an opening? Do I see an opportunity? I am thinking quickly and come up with this strategy.
Donning a serious frown. I pretend to study their proposal. Finally turn the page over. The reverse is blank. Without looking up I ask, “Where is your repayment schedule?”
The girls turn their heads to look at each other for a moment. Slowly it dawns on them. They didn’t hear a NO. They snatch the page, run, and titter all the way back to the computer.
Hear the sound of conspiratorial whispering mixed with the sound of little chuckles? Now the sound of hesitant clicking of the keyboard.
My aim is to teach an important life lesson. How am I doing?
END
