Adult

Adult

“There is no escape.”

Lisel listened to Kenny yelling. He was always trying to scare the other kids.

She and Kenny were the oldest in their group so kind of the “adults” when they played outside. Unfortunately, being older didn’t mean anything to Kenny, he was just as playful as all the little kids. He’d play, make messes he never cleaned up. Plus, he treated the other kids like toys.

Right now, he was playing a game where he “caught” the other kids by splashing water on them from the puddle. The group had gotten in trouble for playing with water before.

Lisel was determined to be the “adult” this time. She told Kenny not to do it or there would be trouble. He just laughed and kept chasing Randy. Lisel had to up her game.

She wouldn’t call an actual adult, though it would stop the game, because they’d all get in trouble, then be mad at her. She decided to BE the adult.

“Stop this game right this minute!” she yelled in her biggest voice. “Find something to do that doesn’t include water!” (She was hoping the word “include” was a real word, but not sure… it’s what it sounded like when Mom said it.)

All the kids, including Kenny stopped in their tracks! She stood looking at them, with what she hoped was a grown-up face.

Kenny dropped his water. And then he started laughing. “You sound just like my mother!” Then all the other kids started laughing too. She was actually acting just like a grown up!

But Lisel didn’t want to be grown-up! Not yet anyway. So, she reached down and scooped up a handful of water from the puddle, and then she threw it at all of them!

Life was good again.