Vignettes

Some amusing exchanges from yesterday's Unbirthday with the assorted nieces and nephews.

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I took out my Blackberry to take that snapshot of the fire pit and lake I posted earlier. Instantly I was surrounded by a half-dozen pre-teens and teens. "Do you get service??" they asked, anxiously, in unison.

I checked out my reception. No bars. "Nope," I said.

"Awww." And they slipped away like morning mist.

= = =

My eight-year-old nephew, who we had given a book about pirates: "Thank you for the book."
Me: "You're welcome. Do you like it?" (He nods.) "Do you like pirates?"
Him: "Yes."
Me, suddenly thinking of the violence, death and mayhem real pirates caused in their day: "Yeah. Everybody likes pirates."

= = =

Me, noticing that my niece's digital watch was on 24-hour time: "Hey, your watch is on the 24-hour clock. That's pretty cool."
Her: "Yeah."
Me: "That's very European of you."
Her, plaintively: "I don't know how to switch it back!"

amusedly,
ronnie