It Wasn't My Fault

“Young man, to your room, right now!”

“But it’s not my fault!” Billy stomped up the stairs as loudly as his five year old feet could.

“Billy, there are no excuses. I told you not to get dirty. Upstairs!” she pointed toward the landing, “not another word.”

“But!”

Mom planted her feet firmly on the floor, hands on her hips. She tilted her head and started to open her mouth. He swallowed his excuse and ran down the hall.

He entered the world of Billy the Lego maniac. He climbed up to the small loft his dad created for him before he deployed. He picked up the Lego phone daddy made and called the only one that would understand.


         “Hey Dad, it’s me Billy.” Billy paused just like Mom did when Daddy called her. He listened to the imaginary whisperings across the miles.

                   Hey Billy, how’s it going?

         “I’m in trouble. I got dirty when Mom told me to stay clean.”

                   What happened?

         “I was just sitting outside waiting for her.”

                   And?

         “Sammy came by on his new bike. He asked me if I’d like a ride.”

                   Keep going.

         “Well, I hopped on the handle bars and we went flying down the street. It was fun, until…”

                   Until what?

         “Sammy ran through the puddle. Dirty water splashed up my legs. Then Sammy said he knew what to do to get my pants clean. He said in the old days people washed their clothes in the creek.”

                   OK, then what?
         “He found a big rock in the creek and said he had to beat my pants on the rock. So I gave him my pants. He swung my pants back and down really hard, thwack! But he missed the rock and they went into the mud. The mud and water went all over my pants and me.”

                   Oh, no!

         “I got really mad. Mom said I wasn’t supposed to get dirty, and I knew I was going to get in trouble. So,” Billy paused and took a deep breath, “I jumped Sammy. We fought in the creek, for a while then all of the sudden we both started laughing. He looked so funny with his hair sticking up with mud in it.”

                   So Sammy rode you home?

         “Yeah, I was hoping Mommy wouldn’t notice.”

                   But she did.

         “Uh huh!'
                   There’s no escape. Why don’t you take a shower, and clean up your mess?

         “That’s a great idea. Thanks Dad.”

Billy hung up his Lego phone, climbed down and flew into the bathroom. He showered the muddy water down the drain. He found a clean shirt and pants to put on. When his mother arrived at the door, he was putting on his Sunday shoes.

A proud smile crossed her face. “Hey, Billy! Look who I found at the front door.”

She opened the door wider. Billy’s Dad stood smiling. “How’d that adventure at the creek turn out?” He winked.

“Daddy!” Billy yelled as he ran and jumped into his Dad’s open arms.

WC 499
No Escape