CHAPTER 22: TIMING IS ALMOST EVERYTHING
Rick, Tess, and Tim Williams
each had a problem. They all had the same problem: each wanted a raise in
allowance. Weekly, they got different amounts—Rick, the most; Tess, less; Tim,
the least.
Should they ask their father
one by one or go as a group?
If they went singly, would the
first kid have the easiest or the hardest time? What about whoever asked last?
They put the question to their
mother, who had an old saying to apply: "Let sleeping dogs lie…your dad is
not a dog, but he is napping on the couch. This is not the time to bother
him."
They waited.
Once Dad arose, they checked
with Mom again.
"Now?" asked Tim.
"Wait until your father
has had supper. Don't put the cart before the horse."
"What?" inquired
Tess.
Rick explained, "Mom means
some things should be done in a certain order, like making sure Dad isn't
hungry before you ask him for a favor."
Supper came and went, including
dessert and coffee for Dad. He looked mellow.
"Now?" Tim asked his
mother.
"Make hay while the sun
shines. Strike while the iron is hot."
"She means yes, now,"
Tess said.
They all sat down with Mr. W.
at the dining table. Tess almost sat on her dad's lap, then decided she was a
bit too big and that it was a bit too pushy. She did kiss him before she sat
down.
"You ask, Rick," Tim
urged.
"Dad, we'd like our
allowances raised."
"Am I going to get
something in return?"
"More hugs?"
suggested Tess.
"Nice try, young lady, but
I was thinking in terms of chores."
"I'll wash the van once a
month, except in the winter," offered Rick.
"Sounds good. How much of
a raise do you want?" Rick and his dad discussed money for a minute or two
and quickly agreed.
"Is the sun still shining,
Dad?" Tess asked, thinking of making hay…getting more allowance.
"Brightly. What's your
offer, Tess? What new chore will you pick up?"
"I'll make breakfast for
all of us each Saturday morning."
A brief discussion followed,
and Tess received her raise.
"Tim, my good lad, you're
the last. I would say that I'm almost broke, but you know that isn't true.
You'll get some more money, too, but what will you do for it?"
"What should I do,
Dad?"
"Why don't you do the
dishes after the breakfast Tess is making every Saturday?"
"OK."
And so the allowances were
raised for everyone…except Mrs. Williams, who didn't actually get an allowance,
but who did have a household budget limit…one she wanted increased.
Tess hugged her father and
commented, "Haven't you forgotten someone?"
"Who?"
"Mom."
"Honey, did you want a
raise, too?" he asked his wife.
"I thought you would never
ask. Yes," she responded.
"What are you going to do
extra?"
"We'll talk about that
later."
Mr. Williams had recently
gotten a raise at his job, so he didn't really mind all of this. The requests
had come at a good time…and timing, he thought to himself, is almost
everything.
Moral: Knowing when is almost as important as knowing how.
