Busted!

Three can keep a secret if two are dead.

~ Benjamin Franklin

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Secrets.  They are a funny thing sometimes.  Especially when a child has been asked to keep one and, before you know it, they are rattling it off in their complete, matter-of-fact way, as if to say, hey, it's no big deal.  Some of the conversations that make me tense up most are the ones that contain the words, I told my teacher today about that funny thing you did.  Eek, what had I done that was funny?  Maybe the bigger question is, what had I done that was appropriately funny.  Oh boy!

Any attempt to protect the innocent in this post is impossible.  The story is simply just so hilarious, I had to write about it.  My apologies to grandpa of the year in advance.  We sure do love you!

On the way home tonight, I took daughter of the year #1 to buy a birthday present for daughter of the year #2.  As we headed home, I realized my car door was not completely shut.  At a stop sign, I opened my door and closed it quickly. 

"What are you doing mom?" daughter of the year #1 quizzed from the backseat.

"My door was not quite shut honey, so I was shutting it tight," I replied. 

"Geez," she shouted back, "you are just like your father." 

Huh?  Yep, this one would require a bit more explanation. 

I began probing daughter of the year for how I was like my father.  The remainder of the story went a little something like this. 

"Well, one time when Malea and I were riding with grandpa, the car door just flew right open.  You know when his friend loaned him that car and we rode with him.  Well, he had to pull over to some place and shut the door," she rambled. 

Huh?  My mind immediately began scanning for a time when they both had ridden with grandpa. 

"We were in that car," she continued, obviously realizing I wasn't sure what she was talking about, "the car his friend loaned him.  I was just sitting there and like the door flew open and I was singing (insert the rendition of her singing here) and pretty soon I was like 'Grandpa, why is the door open?'"

Double huh? 

So, I could tell from her loaned car recollection that this was the time grandpa of the year came to get the girls during the floods last summer.  I just didn't remember any story about car doors...flying open...while driving.  It's worth saying one more time, huh? 

After some more questions, I could only gather that grandpa had a loaner car, he was transporting the girls, and there was a minor car door malfunction.  Perhaps it is better I don't know more than that.  Had her first grade teacher heard about about this in show and tell?  Maybe this is one of those bathtub conversations. 

Either way, we're thankful for grandpa and how he rushed in and took our girls to a better place while dad of the year and I coped with a slightly flood ravaged basement.  We're thankful for the funny stories nearly every grandchild has shared about him (we still recount the save big money at Benards story at least yearly - and no, that is not a typo).  We're thankful for his eagerness to help.  But mostly, we're thankful for safe car seats.  Because when a door flies open when Grandpa is driving, it's settling to know your 9 month old was at least strapped in.