Conversation #1 – We buy dog food in 50 pound bags, and, due to back problems, Mom and I rely on someone stronger than we are to take it down the stairs for us into the basement. Well, Gaylon and Kendall are usually not here, so the task tends to fall to Alex these days, who never wanted dogs, and doesn’t particularly like them. So the other day, Mom bought more dog food, and it sat, waiting patiently for transport, at the top of the stairs. Alex comes home, and Mom mentions casually to him that she would appreciate it if he would take the dog food down. He does not appear to hear her. She repeats her plea the next morning. It went something like this:
Nana: Alex, I really would appreciate it if you would take the dog food down to the basement for me.
Alex: Yeah, ok. (Walks off, grumbling something incomprehensible under his breath)
~That evening at the Dinner Table~
Nana: I don’t have any food left downstairs for the dogs. Alex, would you please take the dog food down immediately after supper?
Alex: What?! We have dogs??!!
I laughed so hard I almost spit my food out!
Conversation #2 – Alex is leaving next Thursday to fly to Denver and begin hiking the Colorado Trail, so it is a constant thread in our conversations.
Me: I found a video of when the house burned down.
Alex: Really?
Me: Yeah. You were walking around in the rubble, and you were so cute. You used to be so little and cute!
Alex: (changing the subject) You know what? I realized that when I go on the hike, it will be the longest I’ve ever been away from home.
Faith: Wow. You’re going to really miss your computer.
Alex: Yeah, I will!
Me: I remember when you would come home from camp every year, you hadn’t been on your computer for a month. And you were always so sweet when you came home. Until you got back on your computer. Then you would become unpleasant.
Alex: No, that’s not true. I just don’t like being interrupted when I’m doing something.
Me: I don’t mean when I would interrupt you from a game. You would just be really unpleasant, in general.
Alex: (in a very light-hearted, good-natured tone) Did it ever cross your mind that maybe I’m just unpleasant?
Me: Actually, yes! But I’m trying to not believe that about you.
Alex: (Laughs)
After receiving as much help as you could provide with my genealogy . I can’t imagine ANY of your children being “unpleasent” !!