Mother May I

Remember that game we used to play when we were kids? Mother May I? You had to ask the ‘Mother’ if you could take five baby steps (for example). The ‘Mother’ would answer either ‘Yes you may’ or ‘No you may not but you can ….’ I always thought the game was rigged even though the ‘Mother’ had her back turned to everyone. I liked ‘Red Light – Green Light’ better. Same set up – but the ‘Policeman – always said PoliceMAN in those days’ would turn away and say ‘Green Light’ and everyone would scurry toward ‘him’. Suddenly he would yell ‘Red Light’ and turn around quickly to catch anyone still moving … even a teensy tiny bit. If you were caught you got sent back to the starting line.

We had our own versions of that game going on here all day.

We came upon Oz and Teddy first thing. Oz had got hold of the plug for the bathroom sink and had carried it to Ted. He gently placed it down in front of his face … maybe four inches away. Teddy then pushed it back to Oz. Oz pushed it just a little closer … until finally Teddy was laying his front paw over it. They passed it back and forth for a few minutes. Not a rowdy game – which Oz is working Teddy up to – but a game nonetheless!

The day ended with Rosie and Darby playing the ‘Mother May I’ version. And Darby would agree – that game is rigged. It didn’t matter how politely, or how quietly, or even how tiny her steps were … Rosie kept saying ‘No you may not!’ without so much as a ‘but you may …’ rejoinder. You can see the entire conversation in their body language!