Sunday, September 23, 2007

On "Not Me!"

"Not Me" was a fixture in our house as the kids were growing up. He did all the craziest things.



"Who left the lights on?"


Answer: Not me!



"Who used up all the toilet paper?"


Answer: Not me!



"Who made this mess!?"


Answer: Not me!


Source

He even snuck in when we moved into our townhouse! This invisible fellow was single-handedly responsible for all the havoc and destruction. He left toys strewn everywhere, didn't flush the toilet, left moldy sandwiches in the back seat of the car and was responsible for all the funky smells.



I begged the children to let me get my hands on him. However, "Not Me" knew better than to show himself. At least he had a well-developed sense of self-preservation.



"Not Me" disappeared suddenly at the time my children and I were going through a crisis. He must have refused to grow up as everybody else was forced to. Or maybe the kids' father took him when he left. Two lost souls walked off into the sunset without looking back.



It was a somber first few years without "Not Me." All the homework was put away, nothing was ever missing and the toilet always flushed. The house never did go back to being rambunctious. But then, the kids were older. I certainly don't miss the chaos. What I do miss is the laughter in the children's voices as they tell me "Not Me" got away with it once again.


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