Coco Tuesday

I’m glad I didn’t write this up yesterday because, like Madge, it takes me a while to get over a grudge. Coco is more like Julie: the storms unleash forcefully and quickly, but subside shortly thereafter. If we could only combine the long fuse with the quick calm, but no dice.
Yesterday’s tempest arose from a gift certificate we had received (thanks, Yiayia and GrandJohn). We let the kids choose their treats. Madge opted for a surprise Barbie Nintendo DS cartridge. Coco sweated over eliminating some of the Ben Ten figures he had chosen. He sweated over it so much he couldn’t do it. And the rest of the day he and I fought about my order.
Here are some aspects of our “learning experience”:
If an item is no longer manufactured or available from some distributors, those who still have a copy show no shame in charging $79 (plus $8 shipping) for a $4.99 toy. (“You can have my allowance, Daddy.” Aww. But no.)
It takes some time for the people to read the computer screen, find the objects on the shelves, pack them, put them on a truck which goes to another distribution center and another truck – maybe even with a flight in between – and finally to our house. (All Coco heard was, “Blahblahblahblahblah our house.”)
And staying home from school will not speed up this process.
Which is why I had a tearful Coco necklace for twenty minutes at drop-off time. Which, out of a two-hour-and-twenty-minute school day is – but wait, my blood pressure is rising again, I’d better stop.
We’re all better now. He went to school like a trooper today and yesterday at pickup he even explained to me how Grey Matter was too expensive.