Checkbook, pencil and an earring

Earlier this week, my wife Mini and our son Rahul went to a picnic in the evening with his high school crew team for a celebration and I followed them about thirty minutes later.

As I was leaving the house, I got a text - “bring checkbook and a sharp pencil”

I am good with to do lists.  But I shook my head in pity at this one. I’m a banker, you see. So I said to myself, you fill out checks with a pen, not a pencil (you silly!!)

I reached the park and found my wife.  When I proudly handed over my “to do,” I got a rebuke.

“I needed the pencil to poke my ear so I could put my diamond earrings on,” she said.

The “huh?” I blurted out was the stupidest rendition of it, in my years of being married.

We then got involved with the picnic proceedings.  As the picnic was winding down, I decided to skedaddle. I came back home early. Mini and Rahul were to follow about thirty minutes later.

As soon as I reached home and I got a call, “I lost the diamond ear ring..... I TOLD YOU I NEEDED A PENCIL!”

I said silently - “oy vey”

Mini said, “We are going back to search for it”

It was pitch dark in the park by then, I was sure. But I was afraid to say anything to countermand her determined next step.  I definitely kept platitudes to myself.

After another thirty minutes of anxious waiting, I got another call.

Putting on my most innocent voice I said, “hello?”

“Found it!"  she exclaimed.

Apparently Rahul’s friend had lost something as well. And her father had shown up with a powerful flashlight. So the three of them trolled around the picnic area and improbable as it was, found it.

Note-to-self in my book of rules for home: checkbook goes with ..... pencil!!!

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