Now I Am The Master...

My son is a smart ass and I love it!  But I know I'm going to pay for it someday.

In the bathroom this morning Bird tells me that the battery for the smoke alarm is getting low.  Sure enough a moment later we hear the chirp that means it is time to dig through the junk drawer in the kitchen for five minutes before finding out that we're out of 9-volt batteries and a trip to the store will be required.  I swear it happens this way every fricken time, and still yet somehow when you buy the 9-volts in pairs.

Bird leaves the bathroom and my son Justin comes in with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face.  He's dying to let it out that it is he who is periodically blowing a toy plastic whistle to mimic the chirping sounds.  Both Bird and Sam are convinced it's the smoke alarm and Justin is pretty proud of himself.  All I can do, of course, is smile back as this is a moment of pride for me.  Not only has he arrived at the age when he is coming up with creative pranks to play but he's patient enough to ride them out a while and have some real fun with them.  It's going to get harder to stay one step ahead of this kid.

Of course knowing the truth I have to start milking it some too.  I let Bird dig through the kitchen drawer awhile knowing full well there's no 9-volt within a mile of our house, and after several more minutes I start in on her about how I think she's smoking something as I haven't heard the alarm chirp for quite some time.  They're about to leave for school when Justin heads back to his room and suddenly there's another chirp.

Bird does her, "Aha!  See."  But Sam has finally put 2 + 2 together and says, "It's Justin's whistle!"  Bird does the awkward moment of pondering before asking Justin, "Is that true?"  Now the cat is out of the bag and he enjoys himself immensely while Bird chastises him for tricking her.  I am smart enough to keep my trap shut for I still smell danger...

But out the door they go and I sit down to my bowl of cereal with the thought, "Thank goodness she didn't find out that I knew!"  No sooner do I think it than Bird comes storming back in the house, "You knew dammit!"

The little shit joker took me down with him.  How the pupil quickly surpasses the master...I guess I'm paying for it today.