Buy, Don't Rent!

Yesterday I got a call from Ross. They are now living in Rhode Island and we had the cutest conversation. It went something like this.

"Hi Gramma, is Grampa home?"
"O, Honey, I am sorry but Grampa is on a camping trip and won't be back until Saturday. Can I help you with something?"
"Yeah, sure, you might know this."
"What is it, Rossie, how can I help you?"
"Well, I have some questions about the boys that were in jail where Grampa use to work."
"OK, I might be able to answer them for you....."
"I want to know what they do there."
"Well they go to school, they wear orange or blue jumpsuits that look like coveralls that your Dad might wear when he is working on the car, do you know what they are, Ross?"
"Of course I do, Gramma! So what else do they do?"
"Well, they walk in a single file whenever they have to go from the dormatory to the dining room or the gym or to their classroom. They have to put their hands behind their back.

They have made some really bad choices so they don't get to choose what they do, or when they do it, for the most part. They have to go to bed at a certain time and get up at a certain time, they don't get to choose what they have for dinner, they can't play basketball whenever they want. They have no privacy and they even have to get permission to go to the bathroom in some cases.

And since they are kids they have to go to school everyday and work around the Ranch. They have to be supervised 24/7 and they don't get to go home until they are released. They have no freedom really. Oh, and Ross, they have to do a ton of work around the Ranch...cleaning and working in the kitchen and yard work and house work~ all kinds of stuff. And if they fight with other kids or break the rules they have to stay longer."
"I know Gramma but what do they get to DO?" "What do they get to do outside?" Do they have to do a lot of digging or things like that?"
"Not really, Ross, unless they are planting things in the garden."
"Oh well what if they are little kids like around 6 or 7? What do those guys have to do?"
"Ross, kids that little don't go to jail. If they do something bad their parents are responsible for them or the damage they have caused."
Silence and then....
"Well ah, what if they're homeless?"

I then launch into a verbal dissertation on how there are always some people in a society that cannot take care of themselves and how the rest of us pay their way by paying taxes, etc. Clearly this was not where he was hoping this conversation was heading. I had a feeling early on that he had been highly influenced by the book or movie "Holes" and that this is what was prompting his inquiries.

"Ross, why are you asking me all this, are your writing a report for something?"
"No Gramma, but I just really don't like renting houses." What? (in the thought bubble)
"Why Honey? It is usually makes sense when you will only be someplace for a short time."
"Yeah but, Gramma, you cannot dig holes when you are renting. I want to dig holes all day like the kids in "Holes"and Mom and Dad will not let me!"
"Hole-ee Cow, Ross!"

I then proceed to tell him that the book/movie, "Holes" is not an accurate depiction of life in jail and he really should come up with an alternative way (with mom and dad's help) to find a way to dig some holes.

Reluctantly he says, "OK, but Gramma I REALLY want to try it! Digging holes all day would be so cool! And I never can do it because of renting houses!

And thus we see why humans need adult supervision for longer than any other species on the planet and it may explain why the youth facilities are overflowing with young men just looking for a place to dig some holes!

This may be the cutest conversation I have had with a grandchild in a long time. Clearly grandparents have not outlived their usefulness in a child's life. They often test the waters within the confines of a safe grandparent relationship because they know their parents would figure them out in a nano second regarding the feasibility of going to jail to dig some holes. Because after all, they reason, Mom and Dad have seen that movie too.

You have to admit though this is pretty sophisticated problem solving for an 8-year-old. Ross is a deep digging thinker, obviously and a pretty creative problem solver. Plus he is extremely entertaining. I think I couldn't love him more than I already do and then something like this happens!