Distressing news for Lydia

Our neighbor boy who is in 2nd grade has the coolest motorized race car. Well, Jake thinks it is the coolest anyway and always has. It is really a big piece of junk with broken plastic tires that bounces up and down in a Snoop Dogg sort-of way. We have lived here two doors down from the Lock family and this wonderful piece of machinery for 4 1/2 years. In all of those 4 1/2 years Jake has drooled at the sight of this car and has driven poor Adam CRAZY asking to borrow it. Well, this is the year that finally little Adam is a big boy with legs too long to drive his race car. He has managed to cram his ever growing body into it about twice this spring to drive it but found the ride incredibly uncomfortable. So, he decided to offer it up for sale and came and approached me about it. He told me he was ready to sell his car for "under $50 because it is a piece of junk." LOL! When I inquired as to the exact selling price he stated "Oh, 30 or 40." Realizing that his parents know what a hunk of junk this thing is I told him to go home and discuss it with his parents and let me know because I wanted to make sure that his parents were okay with him selling it. A little while later here comes Adam with his Dad.....and the asking price is significantly reduced to either $15 or $16. LOL! I love the options. So, after attempting to have a discussion with Craig about it and only getting grumbles about how we do not have room in the garage for any more toys, I wrote a check for $16 and summoned my neighbor, Tracie over to witness the expression of a kid in a candy store. Then, I called for Jake and I said, "Adam is ready to sell his car."

Pause.

Then, the epiphany...."TO ME!?!?!?!? Do we have any dollars?"

"Yes, buddy, Mommy has a check right here made out to Adam for $16." (I figured the Snoop Dogg bounce was worth the extra buck.)

Jake jumps in the air and shouts, "YES!!!!!!!!!!" then tears off for Adam's house but won't cross where he knows their dog's invisible fence line is b/c he is terrified of dogs. Adam comes driving it out to him and you would have thought that Adam was handing him the gift of a lifetime. Jake was so freaking excited. He hops in it, takes it for a spin around the cul-de-sac and then gets out and runs up to Adam and says, "Thanks for selling me your car, Adam. That was so nice of you!!"

Then, Little Chinese Girl of No Nap wants to drive it immediately. No go. So, the Big Chinese Flood of 2009 begins and she is PO'd! She declares never to play with Jake again.

Jake then announces to me that he has "distressing news for Lydia."

"Mom, I have distressing news for Lydia. She wants to ride Adam's car but there is only one seat and her legs are not long enough so Lydia cannot ride in Adam's car and that is the distressing news for Lydia."

Very PO'd Chinese Princess breaks down in tears as I say, "You are right, buddy. Lydia can drive the Jeep if she wants to drive a car."

Then, we wedge the car into the garage for the night with lots of grumbles from Craig about how we don't have room, etc. and off to get a very happy German boy and a very PO'd tired Chinese princess off to baths and bed. Afterall, they DO have school tomorrow. But, oh, Lydia's laid that all out for her teacher too. She told her on Tuesday, "My brother doesn't like school and I'm not too wild about this place either." Nice. You would think I rehearse all this crazy language with my children..."Distressing news," "not to wild about this place," "the good news and the bad news," "Oh great and wonderful sister." I think my children are both going to grow up to enjoy drama.