Anticipating consequences
This morning I overheard a humorous interchange between Brian and Adam. Adam and Brian had already moved their Christmas presents into their bedroom and they were playing in there. I was in the living room, separating recycling from trash as part of cleaning up the remains of Christmas morning. I overheard the following:
- Brian (from his room): “Adam, I’m going to tell on you!”
- (At that point I anticipated that Brian would be coming to me, and I started anticipating the complaint that was surely coming. However, since nobody was screaming, I knew it probably wasn’t too serious.)
- Brian (comes into the living room): “Da-ad, Adam ate a Hershey’s Kiss.”
- Paul: “Was it yours?” (I already knew it wasn’t, or Brian would have been upset rather than calm.)
- Brian: “No.”
- Paul: “Okay, well, it’s probably fine. Just don’t eat a lot — maybe just have one.”
- Brian: “Okay.” (returns to his room)
- Brian (from his room): “Adam, you can come out — it’s okay to eat one…”