Saturday, May 01, 2010

And I wonder why I don't have more friends*...

At a recent basketball function (which I am, of course, required to attend because I'm the "Team Mom" and it's either putting in occasional appearances or getting that layered mom haircut, wearing mom jeans and covering up my tattoos all the time), one of the dads strikes up a conversation with me.

At first he seems like a nice enough guy, we talk about the team, we talk about the NBA, we talk about the kids, blah blah blah. Then he starts in on the anti-Obama, anti-healthcare-reform, total Republican propaganda**.

My eyes start to roll back into my head as I'm wondering how we got there and how soon I can get a ticket out of there.

The Kid ambles up just as the guy is starting in on a rant about some recent news story how the local prison will be releasing a bunch of inmates early (and somehow he's making this Obama's fault).

"Cool," The Kid pipes up. "I can finally meet my penpal."

I snort because I kind of wish I'd thought of it first.

The dad is nonplussed. He looks from The Kid to me. "Seriously?"

Recognizing my out, I nod. "Oh, yeah, they've been writing for about a year."

"Seriously?"

"It's a school-sponsored thing, Konvicts for Kids, I think it's called, right, Kiddo? Konvicts with a 'K'?"

The Kid nods.

"It supposed to be a good experience for both sides, they're supposed to influence each other." I turn to The Kid. "Is Jeff supposed to be getting out early?"

The Kid nods.

"Do you think he's going to need a place to stay? Should we start cleaning out the back bedroom?"

Almost immediately thereafter, the dad excused himself to "make an important phone call".

Countdown to me being fired from the Team Mom position begins... now.

*no, not really

** who starts in on a conversation like that with someone they've just met???? Know your audience, Dude.

Labels: what about your friends