Poor Gumby

“We exaggerate misfortune and happiness alike.  We are never as bad off or as happy as we say we are.”

Honore de Balzac

Who was Murphy and why must there be such a law?  On the one night last week that my husband had to go back to work after dinner and skip bath-time duties, Fig defecated in the tub.

I had drawn a bubble-bath, specifically to lure my daughters away from the pleasures of parading around the house with an assortment of musical instruments.

They were both excited about the lavender bubbles and couldn’t wait to dip their chins and design their own bubble-beards.  A few moments after the girls began their bath, an impressive series of bubbles erupted close to Fig as she proudly announced, “TOOT!”  Pip and I smiled at each other and happily acknowledged Fig’s accomplishment.  Then it happened again.  “TOOT!”  shouted Fig.  I guessed what was coming, but I didn’t act fast enough.  The red face, the quick grunt, followed by a look of contentment.

I cleared away the bubbles directly behind Fig and saw a dark, shadowy mass.  “Pip, you need to get out of the tub right away.”

“Why Mama?”

“Fig pooped in the tub.”

“Where, Mama?”

“You can’t see it because it’s underneath the bubbles, just come and let me dry you off.”

I hastily lifted both girls from the tub, pulled the plug, and grabbed the towels.  There was no time to rescue toys; my hands were full drying little bodies.

As I dried Fig, Pip stared at the draining tub.  The bubbles were thick, but eventually Fig’s substantial carrot-coloured turd could be spotted.  It was covered in a layer of lavender bubbles, and beside it, waving up at us, lay a smiling Gumby.  What a fine example of maintaining a positive attitude in the face of adversity.

(Have a great weekend & maybe I’ll see you at the book launch tomorrow!)