Youth. They Can Set Up Your New TV and Phone and Computer...But Don't Expect Any Hard (or easy) Physical Labor From Them!

Let the record show that Val received a very nice Christmas gift from Hick, a new chair from which to watch the big screen TV in the basement, and drowse off until the wee hours. But we're not here to discuss Val's new chair today. We're here to discuss Val's OLD chair!

It's actually not MY old chair. It's a household chair. Not my blue recliner. I still have that as an alternate in case I tire of sleeping in my new chair. Nope. This old chair is not even a recliner. It's a cushiony, subdued-red, swivel chair. It rocks. But it's no recliner. We've had it a LONG time. At least 15 years, I'd say. But it's not worn out. No springs have sprung. No burn holes in the arm padding, because Thevictorians are non-smokers. No stains. Not even a banana peel stuffed down in the cushions.

To make room for my new chair, Hick had to rearrange the other chairs. He moved my blue recliner behind where the new chair went, with plans to move it over to where the red swivel chair was. Genius was helping him on Christmas morning, before I went downstairs for the gift-unwrapping. They mainly moved the new chair in from the workshop, and left the others sitting there.

Genius was off on his West Coast trip, and Hick said he needed to load that red chair in Genius's car to take to his college house. He said he needed it, because they were one recliner down now, since a housemate graduated in December. Let the record show that at no time did Hick suggest that I help him move that red swivel chair. I heard him scooting things around while I was in my dark basement lair. I heard him step on a bag of empty Coke cans that The Pony had left for recycling. I heard him go through the workshop. I assumed he had parked Genius's car around there. I know for a fact that Hick did not carry that chair up 13 steps and take it out the front door. The whole process took about 5 minutes. VOILA! New chair still in place, blue recliner beside it for a backup, and red chair gone.

Monday, as we finished up lunch with Genius and Friend, Genius stated how tired he was from his trip.

"I just want to go back home and relax. I've got a busy week coming up."

Genius is the #2 university photographer, and they were having a major photo shoot of some official partnership signing press release later in the week.

"Oh." Genius looked at Friend. "We'll have to get someone to help us carry in that chair."

REEEEE! Phonograph needle on vinyl!

"Wait a minute. The TWO of you need someone to help you carry in that chair? Your DAD did it all by himself! Across the basement family room, out through the workshop, and loaded it in your car! You mean to tell me the TWO of you, strapping young lads, both of you head and shoulders taller than him, merely picking a chair up from the back of a car and carrying it 10 FEET from the driveway, in through your front door...NEED HELP?"

And we had just fed them a free meal, too!