Adventures In Writing

Plumbing Problems!

I'm filing this one under, "Only My Son."

Anyone who knows my 11 year-old knows that he is drawn to stories and to drama. When he sees movies and television shows, his brain automatically starts making left turns till he comes up with key concepts all on his own. He also loves words and often uses big ones. I have a tendency to do it around him myself. So it's not totally his fault. But it drives his mom nuts sometimes. Chandler will never use a nickel word when a 50¢ word will do.

And he's into the drama. Didn't I point that out already?

So anyway, about once a month I have to run sulfuric acid down the standpipe behind our washer to keep the drains clear. Occasionally, I do something boneheaded. Like leave the drain hose out after I finish that. I did that today.

Sherry and I were in the living room talking when water started running all over the floor in the kitchen from the utility room. Chandler got caught in the flood. We knew that when he calmly told us, "Something has gone horribly wrong."

Most kids would have pointed out that the water was flooding the floor, if they didn't just slink off to their rooms before the cleanup started and they got caught up in middle of it.

Not Chandler. "Something has gone horribly wrong."

In the middle of the cleanup and not happy with the situation, Sherry and I still couldn't help laughing at his commentary. We kept repeating it over and over, and I think it's gonna be one of those phrases that tend to stick in the family.

"Something has gone horribly wrong."


It won't be just because it's fun to say, but also because I have that kind of life where things go "horribly wrong."