Save it for an Emergency

The Son has so far received more song requests than Billy Joel in a karaoke pub and has yet to fulfil a single one of them.

Then last week our wildest dreams came true most unexpectedly at Katong Shopping Centre. Yes, that old building. Yes, there's lots of really seedy shops in there, but also a rather nice chicken rice place.

After the chicken rice had been consumed, I was inexplicably drawn to a Chinese antique shop just next to the chicken rice place, whilst The Husband was inexplicably (well maybe not) drawn to a toy car model shop. The Son decided, also less inexplicably, to follow The Husband.

15 mins later, I meet up with the two of them again, and suddenly every one is looking grim and nobody is talking. Take your son, said The Husband. When The Son misbehaves, he is never referred to as "our son" or "my son". He is "your son". So I asked The Husband what happened.

Well, he said, we were at the toy car model shop and I told Your Son not to touch anything then I turned away for a minute to talk to the shop keeper and there's a huge crash and Your Son has dropped a model car in its plastic case on the floor. The case broke. I had to pay for the case and the car inside. Don't ask me how much it cost, I've already peeled off the price tag.

How much is it?

S$143.90. We even got a proper tax invoice fer it. I'm keeping that invoice - when The Son starts work, I'm going to bill him.

So what did he do when he broke it?

Well what do you know. He started to sing. He sang "Happy Birthday".