little bastard turtle
I didn't take over the world today, but I did buy my little girl a turtle.
Mariel has been hinting and pestering about turtles for some time now. So, last week I was like, "so whaddaya you say we get you a turtle?" I figured we could just go to the pet store on 4th street, plunk down $20 bucks for a fine specimen and some turtle food and then come home and put the little guy in a pot with some tap water.
Of course, I couldn't have been anymore misguided about turtles. To properly care for one you have to buy all sorts of little gadgets and apperatuses to keep them warm, comfortable, and filtered and tanked and, UVed, etc. I'm mean there's literally a half dozen gadgets, at about $20 each you have to buy to keep the turtle happy.
When the cost was obviously going to be over $150, I kind of weaseled out. I told Mariel that if she could come up with half the money herself, then I would spring for the turtle and his related gear.
I figured this would be the end of the subject for quite some time, since Mariel, at 10, doesn't have a job, and can only make a buck or two at a time by doing chores.
But when I picked Mariel up this Friday, she had $30 dollars in hand. What's more, she had a list of (legitimate) expenses that I was behind on paying for her, which equaled the rest of her half of the money (school pictures, her Ident-a-Kid card, etc).
She had me cornered, but I tried to throw her off with one final monkey wrench. I told her she was right about the money, but I wouldn't even consider getting the turtle until she had cleaned up the disaster that was her room. I figured that was going to be the absolute end of it. Her room has looked like its been ransacked by the FBI for months, and no amount of warnings and incentives had made it any better.
But lo and behold, within 20 minutes, her quarters looked like a model showroom at Rooms to Go, kids.
Anyway, to make a long story short: she got the turtle. I got to admit, the little guy is cute, swimming there above his rainbow colored gravel, occasionally basking on his floating dock. But when I look at all of his fancy filters and lights and water warmers, I just see precious resources taken away from my fame and fortune project.
I try to tell myself that the quality and joy of my daughter's childhood is more important than insane publicity stunts to make myself some sort of kookie celebrity. Right?
Little bastard turtle!
6:09:17 PM 
|
