So last night the kids and I were headed to Red Lobster to celebrate my nephew Clark's b-day (Happy Birthday Clark!). I hop into the driver's seat, and the next two children to approach the vehicle are Gentry (youngest child) and Sierra. Now recently Sierra has turned twelve, and in our family that qualifies you for "shot-gun". However, there is an unwritten rule (in our family) that when we travel as a pack, the oldest child still retains "shot-gun" privileges. So, as I mentioned earlier, Gentry and Sierra were the first to arrive and, according to protocol, both should have jumped in the back seat......have you met my third child? Gentry climbs right into the back, and Sierra (with a sly smile) assumes the "shot-gun" position. Our eyes meet, looks are exchanged, and I decide to see how the whole thing plays out. The next to arrive is Drew. He proceeds to the passenger side door (which is closed) and mouths some sort of protest. When I don't respond, he proceeds to the next set of doors (think Suburban), opens one and continues with, "Mom, are you serious???? Mom, she can't sit there! Mom she's not even second in-line!" It's been a long day, so I just respond with a smile. "Whatever!" as he climbs in the vehicle. Last to arrive, the seventeen year old. By this time I am trying not laugh as she repeats the same scene (almost verbatim) that occurred two seconds earlier. Through out the exchanges Sierra "smiles" what has become a seriously devious smile, looks straight ahead, and refuses to make eye contact with her siblings. To my older two children's credit, they both get in the back without any physical attempt to remove the third child. So.....we are all now traveling to Red Lobster, and after a moment of silence Drew says, "Really, if anyone had shot-gun, it should have been Sadie and then me." At this moment I verbalize something I've been thinking....."Yea, it's kind of like Schwartz in A Christmas Story when he has that breech of etiquette, skips the triple dare, and goes straight for the triple dog dare." At this point we are all laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Especially the older two, because although they don't want to admit it, they're still bugged. We finally arrive at Red Lobster. FYI-"Endless Shrimp" deal going on right now through November.... Our family recommends the Coconut Bay shrimp..... After all, "All's well that ends with a good meal."
Disclaimer: (Advisory-there's a "donkey" reference in the vid clip)
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| The third child |
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