One of the nice things about having a colleague with a child of a similar age, is being able to discuss the various nitty gritty that goes on in the lives of the progeny. These conversations are those that really give life to work and office hours. It begins quite innocently.
Parent 1: "How's your little one."
Parent 2: "Ah well.. ok, and how's yours?"
P 1: "He's fine too." A battle of a few seconds of politeness and each one cannot wait to start.
P1: "Actually hasn't gone to school today."
P2: "No, really, mine too. What happened?"
P1: "An upset stomach I guess, and yours?"
P2: "Ditto, must be something in the air."
"Or in the stomach," butts in a colleague who is either not married /doesn't have children / whose children have all migrated. "How about lunch, people?"
But nothing can hold back a parent from unleashing long tales about their children. If you are not interested, do we look like we care? A few minutes later and we're at it again.
P1:"You know the thing about runny stools, is all about identifying the root of the problem."
"Do you mind" says butt-in colleague. "We're at lunch."
P2: "Oh, sorry, it's just that my little one has been having these really runny stools and I'm so worried."
P1: "Really? What color?"
P2: "Yellow, you know more like .... ah the yolk of an egg."
Two others at lunch, grimace, but continue to eat.
P1: "Smelly?"
P2: "Ya, that's the worrying bit"
Butt-in colleague gags on his food and departs hurriedly. He's done with lunch. A more inquisitive just-married parent-to-be (you don't know what's waiting for you baby!!) starts tentatively, "Do you guys have to like keep track of their ... um u know all this?"
P1: "What u talking, that's the way you know the baby's healthy"
P2B: "Oh, I see..." (wealth of meaning, already planning the talk to postpone the baby thingy for some more time)
P2: "Guess have to make a trip to the lab today..."
P1: "Ok, so let's meet up with the dope and make sure you get a clean catch"
P2B: "You're going to catch their p.p. .potty?"
P1: "Sure, good thing I've got stock of containers, now the trick is to make sure he does it in time before the lab closes."
P2: "Ya... that's the tough part. Come on let's finish lunch and work quickly. Why aren't the rest of you eating anyway?"
But the duo had successfully managed to evict the table of lunch-eaters with their happy exchange of pleasantries.
Parent 1: "How's your little one."
Parent 2: "Ah well.. ok, and how's yours?"
P 1: "He's fine too." A battle of a few seconds of politeness and each one cannot wait to start.
P1: "Actually hasn't gone to school today."
P2: "No, really, mine too. What happened?"
P1: "An upset stomach I guess, and yours?"
P2: "Ditto, must be something in the air."
"Or in the stomach," butts in a colleague who is either not married /doesn't have children / whose children have all migrated. "How about lunch, people?"
But nothing can hold back a parent from unleashing long tales about their children. If you are not interested, do we look like we care? A few minutes later and we're at it again.
P1:"You know the thing about runny stools, is all about identifying the root of the problem."
"Do you mind" says butt-in colleague. "We're at lunch."
P2: "Oh, sorry, it's just that my little one has been having these really runny stools and I'm so worried."
P1: "Really? What color?"
P2: "Yellow, you know more like .... ah the yolk of an egg."
Two others at lunch, grimace, but continue to eat.
P1: "Smelly?"
P2: "Ya, that's the worrying bit"
Butt-in colleague gags on his food and departs hurriedly. He's done with lunch. A more inquisitive just-married parent-to-be (you don't know what's waiting for you baby!!) starts tentatively, "Do you guys have to like keep track of their ... um u know all this?"
P1: "What u talking, that's the way you know the baby's healthy"
P2B: "Oh, I see..." (wealth of meaning, already planning the talk to postpone the baby thingy for some more time)
P2: "Guess have to make a trip to the lab today..."
P1: "Ok, so let's meet up with the dope and make sure you get a clean catch"
P2B: "You're going to catch their p.p. .potty?"
P1: "Sure, good thing I've got stock of containers, now the trick is to make sure he does it in time before the lab closes."
P2: "Ya... that's the tough part. Come on let's finish lunch and work quickly. Why aren't the rest of you eating anyway?"
But the duo had successfully managed to evict the table of lunch-eaters with their happy exchange of pleasantries.
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