Wednesday 12 November 2014

Would-be chef runs for the door

Dad - So boys, on Monday you're going to get your vaccinations.
Sam (matter-of-factly) - I'm not going to do it.
Dad - But without vaccinations you cannot come to Rwanda.
Sam (same) - I'm not coming to Rwanda.
Mum - Where are you staying, then?
Sam (as self-assured as can be) - I'm going back to Ireland.
Mum - And stay there by yourself?
Sam - No, with one of you.
Dad - But all three of us are going to Rwanda.
(Sam pauses in silence, then confirms) - I'm not coming.

Michele (surprisingly quiet up to now, but that cannot last long) - No way! I'm gonna put you in a suitcase and you're coming with us to Rwanda!

Not even brotherly love can shake "the stubborn one", so the scene continuous

Mum - And in Ireland sooner or later you'll have to get more vaccinations, anyway.
Sam - Then I'm staying here at All Nations.
(Dad&Mum&Michele trying not to burst with laughter, without much success)
Dad - OK, we'll ask Anthony and Carol if they can give you a job in the kitchen, scrubbing the floor and cleaning the boards...
(Sam nods, smiling)
Dad - ... then in time you can become a chef!
The smart little fellow keeps smiling, a bit wryly...

---------------------------------------------------------------
Monday morning, first round of vaccinations, in Ware
We try the story we came with in the last few days ("we're Lions, you get your jab bravely than you shock the nurse with a mighty roar"), but to no avail: Sam starts crying before his turn and has to be held firmly by Dad while the nurse stabs him, though he cries only less than a minute after that, so we can tell him he's been good...

Monday afternoon, second round, in London (we couldn't do otherwise...)
We try to let him see it's all fine, by letting Dad, Mum and Mickey go first, but no joy: as soon as Michele finishes, Sam starts crying; we try giving him choices:
"Mum's or Dad's lap? Therapy bed or chair?"
"Muuuuuum's!"
OK, so Mum sits on the bed, Dad lifts Sam and lays him in her arms...
"I caaaan dooo thaaaat myseeeeelf"
OK, so Dad picks him and lets him down on the ground.
Dad, Mum, Michele and the nurse start talking to defuse the situation, trying to find possible solutions...
But in the meantime, the little fellow runs for the door, opens it and off he goes, running along the corridor!
Mum gets him back and we start again.
"Muuuuum's", "On the chaaaaaair"
So Mum sits, Dad lifts him and lays him on her arms...
"I caaaan dooo thaaaat myseeeeelf"
OK, here we go, Dad takes him down...
and he runs for the door again!
But Daddy was ready:
"Nice try, smart one!"
The fight then began and we won it. 
Sam even got his "certificate of bravery" (totally undeserved, but really cool!)


So, all's well that end's well, 
and even better if you've got a good story to tell?

Might be, unless... there are six more jabs for Sam, over 3 Mondays!



Good luck


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