Sunday, 20 July 2008

The Girl on Time (again)

Part I:


[at lights-out time]
The Girl: Dad, can you just stay with me a bit longer?
The Australian: I can't, sweetheart, because my mum is visiting us this week and I've got to go downstairs and spend time with her.
The Girl: But Dad, when you were a little boy you spent every single day with your mum. Now it's my turn.


Part II:
[while waiting for the prescribed 15 minutes to pass before I'd take her to the park]

The Girl: Is it 15 minutes yet?
Me: Nope.
The Girl: [ten seconds later] Yet?
Me: No. Go and play.
The Girl: How much do I have to count to for it to be 15 minutes?
Me: It would take me 15 minutes to work that out. Go and do something to distract yourself.
The Girl: [deep sigh] Mum, WHY does time move SO much more slowly when you are a child than when you are an adult?
Me: You are mistaken. Time moves the slowest of all for writers. Then for children. Then for grown-ups. And then for editors, agents, and anyone else involved in the publishing industry.
The Girl: Oh. You're a writer, aren't you, Mum?
Me: A bit.
The Girl: Poor you, Mum.
Me: Aww, thanks, darling.
...
The Girl: So can we go now?
Me: Sure.

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

You sucker!

Am missing The Girl like crazy so thanks for these lovely updates.

xx

Anonymous said...

Please write your blog more often. It is one of my life's pleasures, and I am always disappointed when I come for more posts and there are none.

E.G. said...

Sasch - you know it.

Sarah - I do apologise. I was waiting until I had something interesting to say, but why change the habit of a lifetime...? Back soon.