The Cracker Barrel

One morning not too long ago, the whole gang went out for breakfast in between basketball games. We went to a Cracker Barrel, almost always a hit with the kids.

One of the great things about the Bear is her generosity, she's always quick to share something, even if it comes with conditions. Well, on this day, we got to see both the Bear and the Tornado at their best.

The Tornado had plowed through his breakfast, except for his applesauce. Bear had not gotten through all of her breakfast, and had a couple of bacon slices left. The Tornado asked Bear for one, she said she would give him one if he ate his applesauce. The CEO and I had said nothing about eating applesauce, this was her way of controlling him and the situation. And she wonders why he says she's always bossing him around.

Well, the Tornado isn't so easily corralled. He knows what the Bear's biggest weakness is, and it's her disgust of others' bodily fluids. He's thrown up on her more than once, each time pushing her into hysterics. Then there was the peeing episode. But I digress.

He agrees to each the applesauce in exchange for a slice of bacon, and picks up the spoon. He sniffs the sauce, and makes a face. She persists that she isn't going to give him the bacon until he eats the applesauce. A titanic clash of wills was occurring right before our eyes. She's waving the bacon, just shy of his face. He's holding a spoonful of applesauce, also just shy of his mouth. She doesn't think he's going to crack, and is almost now laughing at his weakness, or is it toughness to not give in??

Finally, he plunges the spoon into his mouth and efforts to swallow the applesauce. Then came his checkmate move. He turns and faces Bear, and begins to gag on the applesauce. Not a full out gag, but a slow, growing gag, each thrust louder and longer than the last. Quickly the Bear was heading for the bathroom to prevent a possible mess at the table, and the Tornado was finishing the one spoonful of applesauce and snatching up the piece of coveted bacon.

Well played little one, well played.