Celebrities Don't Die Everyday

Or so according to Fidget. This comment was made in the context of talking about the untimely death of Anna Nicole Smith. For however strange or drugged she may have been, the fact remains that she was only 39 and had had a rough year. Very sad.

In discussing how sad it was, Fidget was trying to explain that it's even more sad because celebrities don't die everyday. Maybe if they did, he thought, it wouldn't be so shocking when they did die.

Whatever the merits of that line of thinking (or lack thereof), it provided no justification for what happened next. Apparently, Fidget decided that since celebrities didn't die everyday, maybe we should die today. I can't remember if we've talked about the mini mirrorball that hangs from Mumbles' rear view mirror or not. It hangs on a long string and Fidget and Mumbles like to play tetherball with it. While we're driving. On the freeway at 75 miles an hour. On one occasion, it caused us to veer into the other lane and almost hit another car. So I put a slap down on the tetherball playing.

Of course, being Fidget, he tries to find a zillion ways around the rule. Like he can hit the ball in Mumbles direction, as long as Mumbles doesn't try to hit it back. As if thrusting a flying object in the driver's face is an improvement of some sort.

Today, Fidget and Mumbles thought I was asleep. I was in fact tilted back with my eyes closed. Only then I heard Fidget's raincoat moving back and forth, and concluded that he had checked to see if I was asleep. Then I hear him whispering to Mumbles and I just sense somehow that what's coming next is some form of tetherball.

Sure enough, about a mile later after Mumbles has moved to the middle lane away from other cars, Fidget launches the ball towards Mumbles. Mumbles then jerks forward and tries to hit it with his head.

Then I bust them. And I got a glimpse of what Mumbles must have looked like when he got in trouble as a kid. He promptly blamed it on Fidget but then explained that he had executed the maneuver safely by moving into the middle lane first. For his part, Fidget clarified that they weren't playing the prohibited tetherball; instead, they were just trying to see if Mumbles could head the ball. Again, as if that's an improvement.

Fortunately, we didn't die, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Next ride in that car, I'm bringing my scissors and cutting that thing down, for the safety of the others on I-5.