"The Importance of a Good Sense of Humor...and Quick Thinking"

If there's any one thing I've tried to instill in my kids, it's a sense of humor and the importance of being able to not only take a joke, but to laugh at yourself.  I've told them repeatedly, "If you can't learn to laugh at yourself, then you'll be the only one not laughing while the rest of the world laughs at you."

For some reason, people - even complete strangers - intuitively seem to know that I'm not afraid to laugh at myself and that I love a good joke, even if it is directed at me.  Take for example, 15 year old Chase - a good friend of my daughter's - who one day stopped in the Guidance Office at his school to collect copies of pamphlets on abstinence, safe sex and mental illness.  "Here, Mrs. Armstrong - don't ever say I'm not looking out for you or that I don't care," he said as he handed me the pamphlets.  Ahhh...to be so loved!

Recently my kids talked me into stopping by our local McDonald's drive-thru to pick up some burgers and drinks.  I really hate going through the drive-thru because (1) my kids are so specific in their orders (burgers must be plain; no pickles or catsup) and (2) they get it wrong about half the time and I have to go back in and explain how the order was wrong.  But, on this particular day I was feeling adventurous.

As I drove up to the drive-thru speaker, I geared myself up to be clear and concise so that - maybe - I could get this mission accomplished on the first try.

"Welcome to McDonald's, can I take your order please?" came the voice from the speaker.

"Hi.  I need a large ice tea, half sweet and half regular, two small cokes, two small fries and two cheeseburgers plain with no catsup or pickles."  I said nicely in my best sing-song voice.

"Will that be all?" the voice asked.

"I believe so.  Can you please repeat the order back to me?"

"That's a large ice tea, half sweet half not, two small cokes, two small fries and two plain cheeseburgers. Is that right?"  he asked.

"Yes. Thank you," I responded with noticeable pleasure in my voice.  Maybe I can get through here in one visit, I thought to myself.

The voice from the box gave me a total of something like $7.49, and I proceeded to first window as instructed.  As I approached the window, the teenage boy looked out at me and again confirmed my order.

"That was a large tea, half sweet half water, two small sprites, two medium fries and two cheeseburgers with with extra catsup and pickles?" he said with a smile on his face.

If I'd have been in a better mood, I might've known instantly that he was teasing me.  As it was, I figured it was McDonald's goofing up yet again.

"No," I said as calmly and politely as I could but I'm sure my irritation was evident, "I need a large tea, half sweet half not sweet, two small cokes, two small fries and two plain cheeseburgers with no catsup or pickles."

"Gotcha!" said the kid at the window!  "I was just giving you a hard time!  I got your order right!"

"Oh!" I laughed!  Good one!  Ya got me!" I said laughing with him at my own expense, and then handed him exact change for my order.

"I thought so," he said.  "You looked like you could take a joke," he remarked as he put the money in the drawer.  "Thanks and have a nice day."

I gave him a quizzical look and then responded, "Ummm...my change?  I gave you a $20 and change."

The poor kid looked at me with that proverbial panicked expression often referred to as a "deer in the headlights" and responded all flustered, "Oh!  Oh!  Gosh!  I'm sorry!  Wait...umm...gosh, I'm so sorry!  I need to get a manager to open the drawer."

Before he could flag down the manager, I turned to him with a sweet smile and said "Nah, don't worry about it!  I was just teasing you!  I gave you the exact amount.  I don't need change.  Have a nice day!" I said as I drove forward to the next window to pick up my order.

Yes, it's good to have a sense of humor and it's good to be able to laugh at yourself.  But it's oh-so-much sweeter to think fast on your feet and dish it right back before the other person has a chance to expect retribution!  Life is good!

"The Theory of Reciprocity"

Reciprocity

(rĕs'ə-prŏs'ĭ-tē) 
n., pl., -ties.

1. A reciprocal condition or relationship.
2. A mutual or cooperative interchange of favors or privileges, especially the exchange of rights or privileges of trade between nations.

Definition supplied by Answers.com

Kids make me laugh, especially when I can take them off guard and one-up them in the intelligence department.  Trust me, it doesn't happen often; but, when it does, it sets me up for a great mood for the remainder of the day.  And, when I can not only win the battle of the brain, but also win the battle of wills, then you might catch me smiling for days.

Take, for example, a recent situation with 15 year old Amber.  I'd asked her repeatedly to do a load of dishes.  Not-too-suprisingly, she'd found a gazillion-and-one reasons not to get it done. "I'm really busy," or "I have to take a shower," or "You didn't tell me!" or even "My nose hurts!"  Kids can come up with a million-and-one reasons not to accomplish even the smallest of tasks.

As the day wore on and the dishes remained in the sink, my good mood was definitely in need of being restored.  And then the moment came...

"Mom, I need to go to the bank to take out some money, and then to Best Buy so I can get the latest season of 'Supernatural' on DVD," she said.

"Ahhh...I see," I responded.  "I'd say today is a good day to teach you the 'Theory of Reciprocity."

"What's that?" she asked.

"Well, my dear, for every positive action from you, there can be an equally positive reaction from me."

"Huh?"

"Okay, let me say it a bit differently:  You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours," I explained.

With a completely blank look, she said "I don't get it."

I slowly counted to ten before responding.  "It means, Sweetheart, that I have dishes in my sink that need to get done.  You have a DVD waiting on you at Best Buy that you'd like to pick up.  My dishes won't get washed on their own, and I don't see you walking to Best Buy.  If you'd like to go to Best Buy to pick up that DVD, then you'll need to begin by doing the dishes.  In this house, that's what's known as 'The Theory of Reciprocity.'"

"Oh."

Ahhhh...I love being an adult.  And I love being smarter than my kids.  And I absolutely love having clean dishes!