The Mommies' Diaries…Parenting, One Blog at a Time.

I have discovered what many of you have always suspected.  There is a Backwards World.  It does exist!  Let me explain.

My daughter placed a phone call the other day.  This is what it sounded like:

“Is Michelle there?”

Moments later. “Hello Michelle…blah blah blah”

At that point, it became Charlie Brown speak.  Do you see what happened?

So, it does exist!

When she got off the phone, I politely asked, who answered the phone?  She told me Michelle’s mother.  When I asked her how come she didn’t say hello to Michelle’s mother, or ask if she was having a good day, or even why she didn’t say hello at all – she went straight to the question, my daughter’s response was this: “No biggie dad.  She doesn’t care.”

Hmmm.  Now, I know that’s not how I raised my children.  I taught them better etiquette than that.  And you’d think that since Michelle’s mother loves her to death, she’d at least give a couple of seconds to see how her day was going.

I knew at this moment, something was wrong…

Then, my other daughter was facing finals and I noticed that her weekend plans didn’t include any studying.  Immediately I thought something was suspect.  It wasn’t until a conversation she was having with her school friend tipped me off.  No, I wasn’t eavesdropping again.  What kind of person do you think I am?!  I was sitting at an outdoor table of a coffee shop where they were having an open mic night where my ears were alternatively being treated and mis-treated by people who have more courage than I do.  My daughter and her friend were sitting at the table with me sipping freddos.

When I asked them when they were going to study that weekend, I was informed that they already finished their homework in class and that studying would only make them forget what they already knew.

I was deeply puzzled at this point.  Who was I to argue with two high school girls that get 5 A’s and 1 B+ every semester in advanced courses?

Something just wasn’t right.  I began to try to over-analyze this event with the earlier event – the phone call.  I started to correlate the data in my head, when suddenly my cell phone rang.  It was my son.

“Dad, I’m going out tonight.”

“I thought Tracy said she had to work,” I said.

“She does.  I’m going to go hang out with Cody and play some guitar.”

Do you see it too?  Do you see what’s happening?  My son figured out something else to do without asking me for suggestions.  This is what I’m talking about!

Finally, I made the connection.  Everything that was happening was backwards.  I had woke up at the beginning of the weekend and somehow entered Backwards World.  It was crazzzzyyyyy!  I thought to myself – I’m going to put it to the test.  I’m going to do something exactly the opposite from what I always do and see if it works out!  I’ll start tomorrow!

I started to think of all kinds of things.  I’ll drive backwards to the store and see if anyone notices or cares.  I’ll call send the utility company an invoice and give them a 48 hour notice.  This could be fun!  Maybe even profitable!

So, I woke up the next day…

…and my oldest daughter reminded me that her, her fiance’, and my son were going to be leaving on Friday for the weekend to go to a friends wedding.  When I asked whose wedding, I was reminded with a huff, “Debbie’s!  The one who had the baby almost a year ago dad!”

At that moment, I dragged the invoice to the utility company to the recycle bin and emptied it.  I was back.