Walkie-Talkie

My husband earned a prize of sorts at work. He was invited to choose a piece of crap from a catalog. He received a similar invitation a few years ago, which is how we ended up with our Dustbuster (AKA cat-litter-sucker-upper - its sole use in our home). While AIG executives enjoy their bajillion dollar bonuses, our little clan makes do with small household appliances. What did he choose from the catalog du crap this time, you ask? A set of walkie-talkies.

The package arrived in the mail a couple days ago. P opened it, inserted batteries in the hatch of each unit, and handed one walkie-talkie to the kid. I don't know which of them was more excited about this little prize. I never saw the catalog myself, but I'm hard-pressed to believe that there was nothing even vaguely useful in there. I questioned the wisdom of his selection. He just kept repeating, "But it's got an eleven-mile range!"

Him: We can use these if we get separated at the state fair!
Me: Or, we could just use our cell phones.
Him: Yeah, but that costs money and these don't.
Me: Actually, no, it doesn't cost us anything to call each oth-
Him: Or when you take the kid to the park!
Me: You're right. These will be very useful.

He couldn't be convinced that we have no earthly use for walkie-talkies, so I conceded.

Now, every evening, the two of them split up and then talk to each other on their walkie-talkies.

"Father! What are you doing?!"
"I'm watching TV!"
"Father! What are you doing now?!"

It's extra fun for me, because I can hear A in the other room yelling into the walkie-talkie, so essentially I get to hear everything twice. They also tell each other knock-knock jokes via walkie-talkie. And sometimes, they push the button just to laugh.

Why I say "one" when someone asks me how many children I have is beyond me.





Comments

Sam said…
Years ago I drove across the country with a big group of friends and two cars. We had a little caravan and we talked to each other with walkie-talkies the whole time. It was so much fun. This was before cell phones though.
March 21, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Very Funny.

Wait until you have to referee the disagreement about why A. can't play with the heavy lightsaber, the little star wars guys or the Bender Robot from Furturama and how daddy is not sharing his toys.

One of the things I NEVER thought I would have to do as a mom and wife was negotiate a toy treaty between a four year old and thirty-eight year old. The sad thing is the four year is now nine and the thirty-eight year old has entered his 40's and I'm still holding a yearly toy treaty summit.

You have YEARS of fun left! LOL!!!
March 22, 2009 at 2:36 AM
Audreee said…
Oh, I do love my brother-in-law. Hilarious!
March 22, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Anonymous said…
Claudia,

I really want to meet your husband. While many of your blogs kill me, this one had me laughing hours after I read it for some silly reason. make him work rescue! I wanna meet him.
March 27, 2009 at 10:35 AM
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