Now that school’s out (SCHOOL’S OUT!) and there are no more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks, two of our grandsons hitched a ride with some family friends and came to Georgia for a few weeks, giving their mom and dad a breather. Old people go to Florida in the winter time, so it’s only fair that young people leave Florida in the summer time. The great cosmic balance remains intact.
The boys are not staying with us. We would love to have them, but I’m pretty sure our house would be much too boring. Instead, they’re making the rounds of old friends they used to play with before they moved to Florida last year.
Tuesday evening we rescued them from their current hosts (or perhaps it was the hosts that we rescued) and took the boys out for supper. I suggested the haute cuisine of Arby’s, Steak and Shake (because I had coupons for both Arby’s and Steak and Shake), or Cici’s Pizza. I knew in my gut which one they would choose, and I was right. They chose CiCi’s. After all, CiCi’s has a feature those other establishments do not offer: a game room. A penny arcade, if you will, except that penny arcade games now cost a quarter to fifty cents each, thanks to runaway inflation and the passage of time. I took along several extra dollars, knowing from past experience that the boys would need lots of them to put in the change machines to get enough quarters to operate the game machines.
And they did.
There was one nice surprise, though. I was expecting the all-you-can-eat buffet to cost $4.99, same as always, but CiCi’s had put up a big sign that said, “All-you-can-eat Buffet $3.99 (Recession Prices)” and I rejoiced. I didn’t save any money, though. It all went into the game machines. But our tummies were full.
Today the boys will be coming over to swim in our subdivision’s pool and spend a couple of nights with us, dear old Nana and Grandpa, and of course Jethro. Especially Jethro. Tomorrow, Mrs. RWP is planning to make lasagna, and the boys’ cousins who live an hour away will be coming over for the day also. Sunday afternoon we will deliver our charges to their next destination. After a few more weeks of this non-stop, whirlwind existence, and perhaps after a side trip to Alabamistan with them, we will be taking what I hope will be a couple of very tired but very happy boys back to their parents in Florida.
We have been informed by reliable sources that we are still much too young to go to Florida in the winter time.
By all reports, a good time was had by all! I'll have to check out the local CiCi's to see if they have adopted the recession pricing. Might not be a bad deal, especially since I know this one does not have an arcade, besides which I am a bit long in the tooth for such activities.
ReplyDeleteWow...what a great summer plan for your grandsons, and gives you and Mrs. RWP a chance to spend time with them, too. Enjoy the good times together!
ReplyDeleteSigh, yes, pizza and arcade games are two major components of boy's lives these days... Can't think of a combo that made my boys happier. I get the pizza, but the games, not so much. I'd rather actually play a real game. But hey, the having grandkids part sounds great to me!
ReplyDeleteLovely family fun and bonding (I don't actually like that word - it makes it seem somehow trite and trendy, when it is actually marvelous and precious - but you know what I mean) time. How old are the boys?
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone, for reading and commenting! And Katherine, the boys are 13 and 11. Arcade games at CiCi's pizza are just a temporary diversion from their real love, XBOX 360, which replaced Wii in their affections, which replaced Play Station 2 or maybe it was 3, which replaced Nintendo DS, and so on. I can't keep up with all the new gadgets.
ReplyDeleteThe older boy was quite resourceful, actually. He sold some of his former toys to the waiting crop of salivating friends and obtained enough money to purchase his current favorite.
My own children played with dirt and wasp nests and the shed skin of a rattlesnake.
Ah, Robert, it's a new world. Sounds like they are keeping you up-to-date with the gadgets...as have mine
ReplyDeleteMy two boys are also about that far apart, and similar tastes... although now in their early twenties.
It was also the Star Wars ---> Lord of the Rings path too.
Now qualifications and a career in computer programming for the eldest and Animal behaviour Master's degree for the youngest. And lastly daughter doing tourism qualification (NZ's big earner after cow-products).
Sorry, I got onto *me*.
And lack of articles doesn't disguise that I've drifted into Billy Ray-speak...
Sounds like you've all had a good time.
ReplyDeleteAnd you still have coupons to enjoy two romantic dinners with Mrs. Rhymeswithplague.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are very nice grand parents and Florida is a great place.
ReplyDeleteWeather is important to have. I love any place they have warm water.lol
Good luck on your novel. :)