Mallory announced before bedtime that, before school today when no one was looking, she kissed her boyfriend on the lips. She had the gleam in her eye that usually signals Giant Fib, but I took the hard line nonetheless. "That's not appropriate," I said. "You could get in big trouble if you get caught. No kissing at school."
"No kissing, period," Chris added.
"What does 'period' mean?" Mallory asked.
"It means, no kissing at all. You're too young for that," Chris said.
"When will I be old enough?" our daughter asked. "When I'm sixteen?"
"No...when you're thirty," Chris said.
"Thirty? Are you kidding me?"
"Thirty. And even then, you have to ask our permission first. If we don't like the guy, you won't be allowed."
Mallory thought about that for a minute. Then she said, "How old do I have to be before I can kiss someone without asking you first?"
"Sixty," Chris said.
"Sixty?"
"Okay, okay. Not sixty. How about...fifty-nine."
"Humph," Mallory said. She climbed into bed and we turned off the light. A few minutes later I heard her say, "I just can't wait til I'm fifty-nine!"
"No kissing, period," Chris added.
"What does 'period' mean?" Mallory asked.
"It means, no kissing at all. You're too young for that," Chris said.
"When will I be old enough?" our daughter asked. "When I'm sixteen?"
"No...when you're thirty," Chris said.
"Thirty? Are you kidding me?"
"Thirty. And even then, you have to ask our permission first. If we don't like the guy, you won't be allowed."
Mallory thought about that for a minute. Then she said, "How old do I have to be before I can kiss someone without asking you first?"
"Sixty," Chris said.
"Sixty?"
"Okay, okay. Not sixty. How about...fifty-nine."
"Humph," Mallory said. She climbed into bed and we turned off the light. A few minutes later I heard her say, "I just can't wait til I'm fifty-nine!"
Comments
That is about the same age when Rhett will be able to drive a motorcyle. (60, not 30).