To the Victim Go The Spoils

She was howling, so was he. I hastened down the stairs to find Misterpie scolding The Bun for whacking Pumpkinpie. I sat on the floor, put my arms around Pumpkinpie, and fed into her drama: "Poor Pumpkinpie! Oh, no! Poor girl! Are you okay?" She ate it up, as she is usually not given much rein for indulging her drama queen act, especially when the role is as victim.

This wasn't about her, though. This lesson was for The Bun, who ran to me, teary and wailing, when I appeared and got completely ignored, since I had heard Misterpie already making the sorry and the hug happen. This lesson was about who gets the sympathy and the attention - and that when you smack somebody up, it sure ain't you.

He whimpered lying on my leg while I tended to Pumpkinpie until he realized he wasn't really getting anywhere, and then just sat by me because he likes being by me.

He absorbed the lesson alright though, because at lunch, when his leg brushed mine, he told me "hurt! Sis leg hurt!" As if, kid. It is, might I add, damn hard not to laugh during this.

My back may have been shaking just a little.