The Damage Done

Wild Thing has struck again. Friday afternoon he was just wild riding home from school. He and his brothers fought in the car and then spent 20 minutes bashing garbage cans against each other and the garage door before they stomped into the house. I stepped into my office for 2 minutes to put the mail way, and "CRASH" ... tink, tink, smash. Silence.

I flew into my kitchen to find a frosted glass pendant fixture smashed all over the granite counter and wood floor. Wizard was standing there looking guilty as hell. Wild Thing ran out the door at 120 mph. Moose was cowering in the corner, and all I could to was scream and scream and scream. I screamed so loud and so hard that I damaged my voice. I screamed so loud and so hard that Wizard and Moose winced in pain. Wild Thing disappeared into the woods until I threatened to drag him out. He finally came skulking back to the house.

WT threw his shoe at Wizard because Wizard was antagonizing him. Wizard denied culpability. "He started it," Wiz whined. "You goddamn well clean it up before I finish both of you right now!" I roared. They swept glass off the counters and floor – it was in the sink, in the dining room, everywhere. Then I made both boys vacuum the entire kitchen and dining area. I sent the two of them to their rooms so I could calm down.

Just about then WineGuy walked in from work. I told him what happened and that I was not feeding them dinner. He was angry but very calm, thank G-d. We told the boys that they were going to pay for the replacement shade(s) out of their Chanukah money. WT started complaining because he already was losing some of that money to replace the brand-new bicycle pump he tore apart. I told him he better stop complaining or else he could forget about a birthday party this year (May). He shut his mouth.

I refused to make the dinner I had planned, so WineGuy gave them cold sandwiches. We lectured them ad nauseum over dinner. As if it did any good. I caught Wizard kicking a stuffed toy into the family room window yesterday. He was unrepentant and mouthy until WineGuy chewed him out royally, at the top of his lungs and an inch from his face.

We suspended privileges that day. They got their computer time today, until I went upstairs to check on Moose, who was coughing. Wizard's and WT's rooms are disasters. No privileges until they're spotless. So sad, too bad. They're lucky they're sleeping in beds.

With apologies to Neil Young, "gone, gone, the damage done."