Paid In Full

"I WANT CHIPS!" I hear a little girl scream at our open house party. Nice way to use your manners. I get her chips.


Ten minutes later: "I WANT CHIPS!" Please would be nice. Justin gets her more chips.


"I WANT CHIPS!" Seriously, kid, where are Gramps and Grammy? Let them get you chips. I've got a house ful of people, and I'm not really good at this whole hostess thing.

I look around, hoping to see the grandparents of the little chip-loving screamer. No luck.

"Justin, did Dan and Bev leave?"

"Yeah, about 30 minutes ago."

"I wonder if they know they forgot their granddaughter." I hope they remember her before I run out of chips.

"Oh, they told me that if she gets too bad, to send her and her brother home."

This was in the midst of our open house party. The party that I was kinda ill prepared for. The party that I had a hard time remembering my own child, much less that she had her shoes on before running outside.

And suddenly, I was responsible for not one, but two more children. The older brother was fine. He was involved in a game of kickball and was no problem. The little girl, however had some issues.

Hitting was a problem. Laying on top of my niece and hitting her was another. Wanting to eat all of our chips became another issue.

I realize that they are our next door neighbors. I realize that the kids are around the same age and for the most part, have fun playing together. But, come on.

Two hours? In the middle of a party?

A little much.

We had been feeling guilty about letting him cut our grass while we watched tv. We were going to get them a gift certificate to thank them.

I think this was their way of making us pay.

And we did.

Our neighborly debt has been fulfilled.