Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Jack and the Cherrystalk


Coming home from work, or a late meeting in tonight's case, when Jack is on school holiday is a bit like stepping into a fairy tale.

Firstly, there's usually a key left in the lock or something stuck behind the door, meaning it takes 3 attempts, just like the Big Bad Wolf, to get into the house. Once I am in, I find a trail of discarded clothes, trainers, sweet wrappers, apple cores, bread crusts, empty glasses and suchlike running from room to room forming a very clear Hansel & Gretelesque map of his route, it's very very well worn from the sofa to the fridge, not so apparent to the sink or washing machine.

Depending on the torrent of his teenage hormones, I might be met with any one of the Seven Dwarves, but usually it'll be Sleepy, Grumpy or Dopey. Bashful sometimes puts in an appearance if I unexpectedly bring a friend with me and he's just stripped down to his boxer shorts*. Happy only ever greets me if I've come via the take-away or the cash point ( although he did hang about for a few days last week when Emma Watson/ Hermione in Harry Potter sent him a signed photo). I'm currently getting enough of Sneezy at the office and hoping he doesn't follow me home.

Upstairs, it's much the same. I've got a bad habit of washing my hair in the shower in the morning and then dashing straight off to work without rinsing it out. Jack always drapes the long rope of my hair pulled out the plughole over the edge of the bath, Rapunzel-like.

More often than not, there's just Sleeping Beauty laying in state on the sofa, oblivious to the sound of ringing phones, running taps, trapped cats and every radio or telly in the house turned on and tuned to a different channel, awoken only by the magical smell of pizza or a message alert from one of any friends.

Did you ever feel like Cinderella? Only a Cinderella who looks more like an Ugly Sister who turned into a pumpkin, never gets to go to the Ball unless she is the one organising it ( yes! That's the true reason why I do it, forget all that philanthropic do-gooding charity nonsense) and who would probably meet Prince Charming the day after the country becomes a republic.

* Jack, not the friend, of course

5 Comments:

Blogger Heidi Grether said...

Very, very cleverly written. Thankfully, teenagism is not a permanent disease, only lasts a few years! Then you will have this wonderful friend for life!

2:59 pm  
Blogger Melora said...

You mean they don't become more helpful when they get to be teenagers? How sad.
I have a teenaged nephew in Spain who was so thrilled to get a postcard from "Hermione" that he called my mom (his granny) in Maine to tell her about it. I like her.
I googled Wellington Fudge, and found nothing. Could I have the recipe?

2:07 am  
Blogger Cherrypie said...

Hi HG. Thank you for the reassurance.

Melora - if he's helpful, you can be sure it'll cost money. I'll post the recipe on your site as soon as I get chance x

8:02 pm  
Blogger Boo said...

I really enjoyed that and can sympathise, being Cinderella myself. However, I am not the one who leaves the hair in the plug-hole, my daughter is and it is very annoying when I have to get it out, so I can also sympathise with Jack!

What really annoys me about "the family" is that no one puts empty cereal boxes in the bin, they leave them in the cupboard! I am the only one, seemingly, who knows how to change a loo roll or put empty cat food sachets in the bin. Used dishes are left with the remains instead of being scraped into the bin and instead of being stacked neatly are just piled on top of one another. Don't bother to wash your cup, there are plenty more in the cupboard and mum will do the washing up when she gets home!

Aaaaargh!

9:47 am  
Blogger Cherrypie said...

Hi, Boo! Thank you for dropping by. I know just where you are coming from x

7:58 pm  

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