What My Mother Forgot

Play Ball!

Every year, my Dad would take my brother and me to the 4-H auction.

The silent auction was the most fun.

We would run around telling my Dad when he was outbid. Plus, he'd bid on stuff for us.

My Brother asked my Dad to bid on a set of baseball cards. This and whatever he bid on for me exceeded our $5 weekly allowance, but he told us we could work it off.

I'd already been saving, so I didn't have to wait long, but my brother had a long way to go.

Weeks later, my Brother still owed my Dad $15.

And he was freaking out because he wanted the cards even though he still owed my Dad money.

I told him I'd loan it to him, and he could pay me back.

We told my Dad about the arrangement, paid him, and he let my brother have the cards.

Months passed, and my brother didn't pay me back.

Then, for whatever reason he had $20. I told him to pay me back, which he refused. So I reminded my Dad about our agreement.

At first, my parents refused because I couldn't make change.

However, I pointed out to them that I'd earned my allowance. I had enough money to make change.

My brother started crying. Shouting that it wasn't fair because then I'd have $20, but he'd only have $5.

My Dad started to explain that this was how things worked, but my brother kept screaming.

My Mother interjected. She said it had been too long since he borrowed the money from me so meant he didn't have to pay me back.

Now my parents were arguing.

I tried to appeal to this and got them to agree to hold a "trial" in the morning, where my Dad would be the judge.

That evening, we set up the living room to look like a courtroom and prepared our arguments.

The next morning my Dad sat at the computer playing Command and Conquer.

We told him we were ready for court.

My Dad answered, "Oh, we aren't actually doing that."

"It's been too long. Your Brother doesn't have to pay you back."