The Green Room

As we pulled in to the church/school parking lot the boys were quiet in the backseat. The super six year old was dressed in his "slippery shorts" and flags for the football practice we were heading to. The persevering preschooler was sitting quietly in his car seat, looking out the windows, probably lost in thought. The car was peaceful. No one was screaming. No one was throwing shoes. No one was whining. No one was asking for anything. I should have left well enough alone.

But I didn't.

Me: "Hey, Matthew Zhao, did you know I was here at church last night for a meeting?"

MZW: "You were here last night?"

Me: "Yes. I was here, and my meeting was in a room behind the stage. (I thought he would be interested in my getting to walk behind the big stage.) I had to walk up onto the stage and go behind the curtain and everything I went to the Green Room. Do you know what a Green Room is?"

MZW: "What's a Green Room?"

Me: "It's the room where the performers hang out before a concert. You know, like when we saw the Wiggles? They had a room behind the stage where they hung out, relaxed and had a drink before the show. That's the room I was in."

MZW: "You were downtown? I thought you were here at church? Your meeting was downtown?"

Me: "No. My meeting was here."

MZW: "But we saw the Wiggles downtown."

Me: "I know, I was just saying it was like when we saw the Wiggles."

Alex: "You saw the Wiggles last night?"

Me: "No Alex, I didn't see the Wiggles."

Alex: "But you said you had a drink with the Wiggles."

Me: "That is not what I said. I was telling Matthew Zhao about the Green Room."

Alex: "What about the other Wiggles? They are purple, blue, red and yellow. There is no green Wiggle."

MZW: "You don't have to be green to be in the Green Room!"

Alex: "Why not?" (To Matthew)

MZW: "I don't know. Mom, if you were downtown in the Green Room would it be called the Green Room here at church too?"

Me: "I WASN'T DOWNTOWN!"

Alex: (to Matthew) "Why is Mommy yelling?"

MZW: "She likes Green Rooms."

Alex: "Where the Wiggles are?"

sigh.