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Want Some Chocolate?

I am a little embarrassed to admit my stupidity here, but this is a pretty funny story. So, I'll give up a little pride so that you can have a good laugh.

For those of you who know Ricky well, you know that he always knows where the treats are and how to get them. A couple of weeks ago at one of Emily's basketball practices, Emily's friend's mom (Kaye) gave Ricky and Makayla a sucker out of her purse. Since then, at every basketball event (game or practice), Ricky asks her if she has treats in her purse.

I will pause the story here to emphasize that this in itself is embarrassing. I keep telling Ricky, "Stop asking Sister Wierda for treats! Maybe she doesn't want to share! It's bad manners to ask, anyway." Ricky replies, "Oh, she doesn't care! She tells me I'm the smartest boy she knows because I always know where to find the treats." I tell him, "That's not really a compliment."

OK, back to the story.

So, we're at Emily's basketball game and Ricky goes to ask Kaye what treats she has in her purse (after I have told him not to). He comes back with five small brown discs. I look over to her and apologize for Ricky's lack of manners and tell her that if she keeps giving him things, he'll keep asking for more. She says, "Oh, it's OK. I'm just sorry I don't have more to give him."

I turn back to Ricky and say, "That was really nice of Sister Wierda to share with you. What do you have? . . . . Oh, chocolate. You're a lucky guy!" Ricky pops a couple of the discs into his mouth. I ask, "Do they taste good?" He says, "I don't know I can't chew them." Meanwhile, Andrew is trying to grab some of the other discs to put in his mouth. Ricky keeps trying to chew. Then one of Emily's teammate's dad, who is sitting next to me, taps me on the shoulder and says, "Those are magnets."

What? Oh, do I feel stupid!! Kaye was giving them to Ricky to entertain him because she didn't have any treats.

I get Ricky and Andrew to spit them out. Andrew is really mad (apparently he liked the taste). I tell Ricky they are magnets. He gets it right away and we have a good laugh.

Andrew, however, still doesn't get it, so I'm trying to find some metal for the magnets to stick to so that Andrew can see what they are. I can't find metal anywhere. I try the zippers on our coats, my watch, snaps on Andrews pants, and other things. Andrew is getting madder and madder because he really wanted those "chocolates." Again, Stephanie's dad comes to my rescue. He taps me on the shoulder again and says, "Try the chair you are sitting on." Sure enough, I am sitting on a metal folding chair, DUH!

Yep, hang around with me long enough and you'll definitely have a good laugh (at my expense). See, you are laughing already.



I think I'll avoid sitting by Stephanie's dad for the rest of the season. He must wonder how I have managed to keep these four little ones alive and well all these years with how crazy I am.

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