Kids are like sponges. They'll soak up the good, as well as the not so good. My 10 year old daughter, Avery, and I were invited to an Ice Caps hockey game last Sunday. The Caps are our AHL team and it's the hottest ticket in town. Our hosts were Gerry Mayo and his daughter, Laura. Ave and Laura have been buddies since they first meet in daycare. They were two and oh so cute back then. Shucks, they had just barely graduated from being rug rats. Now, don't get me wrong, they are and will always be precious. It's just that, as they have gotten older, their cuteness has manifested itself in a different way.
One of the shticks at the hockey games is for live video of some fans to be broadcast on the huge score clock that hangs over center ice. Laura was extremely excited about this prospect and pretty soon, her enthusiasm spread to Avery. At each break in the action on the ice, these two joined all of the other kids in the crowd as they danced and clapped to the music. All in the hope that their antics would catch the eye of the seemingly invisible cameraman. With all of the want-to-be big screen stars doing the exact same thing, it's difficult to stand out in a crowd. Avery and Laura were having fun, so I didn't bother to tell them that uniqueness is the key to being noticed. It certainly worked for a then unknown Pamela Anderson, when the cameraman zoomed in on her ...... eyes (yeah, it was her eyes) as she sat amongst thousands at a football game in Vancouver.
Being the goof that I am, I couldn't help but whisper (I thought I whispered) to Gerry that if we end up on the big screen then I'm going to lay a big kiss right on his lips. To his credit, Gerry never flinched. His reply was cute and succinct, exactly what I have come to expect from my good buddy. To my proposal, Gerry said "Okay, just no tongue please." We chuckled like ten year old girls.
Being the bigger goof that I am, I figured I'd include the kids in the jocularity of the moment. I suggested to them that if they were to get on the big screen, then they should give each other a big kiss. Avery didn't flinch, she looked at Laura and said "Okay, but no tongue please."
Kids are like sponges. The next time Gerry and I take the kids anywhere, we better make sure some of that sponge is stuck in their ears.
My inspiration for this story
Gerry, you finally made it into my blog. You have to be careful what you wish for! It's not that you're not a great friend or I don't love you like a brother. It's more that I was waiting for you to do something interesting. The time the four of us went out to a nice restaurant and you got the phone call that the fire department was at your house because your sitters, who happened to be your folks, almost burnt your house down because they put the electric kettle on the stove, just didn't cut it. Neither did the time you microwaved your wallet. You almost made it when your assistance to your friend, Paul, resulted in his 5th wheel trailer flattening his new truck. Sure all of those incidents are somewhat interesting, but are they really good enough? I assuredly would have to glamour them up so they meet the standard that my stories are known for.
Oh, Gerry. It's a good thing you have a friend like me to make your life more interesting. Excuse me?! What's that you say? I just happen to know what you are thinking at the very moment you are reading this. And no.... I will not do that! I will not kiss your arse! Even if I do, I ain't giving you any tongue.
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