Fast and Tactful

Fast and Tactful

David was dazed out.

Jane was used to this from her brother. He was eight, a deep thinker. Jane, six, a speedy thinker. She’d have a thought; and boom, off she went. She got in trouble almost daily, David rarely did.

Knowing David didn’t respond well to grilling, she started with a statement. “Boy… I wish we had some cookies.”

“Yeah,” David said, coming out of his fog, “Mom said she’ll get some tomorrow. There are pretzels”

“Yuk,” Jane said, then, “I wish we could have more of those candy things Gram brought. There was still half a bagful when Mom cut us off Sunday. But, they hid the bag somewhere.”

“Yeah,” David said, coming out of his fog, “I know where they hid it.”

“You do? Let’s get it!”

David blinked, “No!” he said, “We would just get in big trouble, and just for some crappy candy!”

“Crappy? I loved those!”

“Then, just ask her for them! If she says yes, you’ll get them, if no, she’ll give you something good and you’ll get them later.”

“How did you get so smart?”

“You’re smart too, smarter probably! I just think more before I do stuff.”

“Huh…” Jane said. At the ripe old age of six, she was finally thinking that a little extra “thinking time” might make a big difference.

“What if I really want that candy?”

“Then start by saying how nice Grammie is, and how great it was that she came over, and then ask about the candy like you just now remembered it.”

“I can do that!” Jane said.

Ten minutes later, eating the candy, Jane said, “So this is how you get things without getting in trouble?”

“Most of the time…”

“Teach me!” she said.

And another dynamic duo was formed. Poor Mom and Dad.