My parents were always early risers, as were both of their parents before them. Two phrases from my younger days pop to mind:
When I would tumble out of bed as a teenager at 9am or so when my grandparents were visiting from England, my grandfather would always greet me “Good Afternoon”.
I would inevitably roll my eyes where he couldn’t see at his sarcasm.
The other phrase handed down through the annals was that by 9am or so, “the day is half over”, so why bother embarking on anything large-scale.
This still makes me giggle, and as I get older, I GET IT and invoke it with Wes ALL THE TIME.
But, I digress.
Years ago, Mum and Dad were visiting me in TinyTown and we had planned a trip to Michael’s for some craft supplies. As usual, we were all up early, ready to start the day when the sunrise (practically).
A dramatic retelling:
INT. – FAMILY ROOM – OH DARK THIRTY
Mum (sipping coffee): “What time is Michael’s open today?”
Me, pulling out my phone and searching after putting my own cuppa joe down: “Uh… they’re open 10 to 8.”
Mum (glancing at a nearby clock): “Oh good, they’re open.”
Me: “From 10 to 8.”
Mum: “Shall we go now?”
Me: “They’re only open from 10 to 8.”
(The two of them exchange puzzled looks with each other until Marissa has a flash of insight into her mother’s thinking)
Me: “Wait… did you think I meant they opened at 7:50am? At 10 to 8?”
Mum (beginning to giggle now). “Yes, I assumed so.”
Me: “Yes Mum, they open at 7:50am and close at, what? 7:42pm?”
Mum (in gales of laughter now): “I did find the hours quite odd.”
Me: “I should think!”
[EXEUNT CAST]
That was my mum, alright. 🙂
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