“Dad,” said Mia amid a flurry of activity around the breakfast table on a Saturday.
“Yes Mia?” answered her father, trying desperately to command the flaying arms reaching for the scrambled eggs, toast, butter and marmalade. “No Ethan, we don’t have jam on toast at breakfast time, only at teatime.”
“Dad,” said Mia for a second time, but this time in slightly higher pitched voice.
“Yes Mia,” her father answered again. “No Ethan, you can’t put the same spoon you put in your tea into the marmalade jar. That’s why there’s a spoon on the side just for that reason.”
“Dad,” said Mia for a third time now, in an even higher voice.
“Yes Mia, what is it you would like?”
“Dad I need to ask you a question.” Calmness for a second, “dad why is medicine called an art and weather guessing a science?”
He had to think for a minute, he certainly wasn’t expecting a question like that on a Saturday morning, “you know what Mia, that’s a very good question.” Ben turned to his wife who had just come downstairs after making sure she was presentable. “Beautiful as ever,” he said getting up from the dining room table and pulling out a chair for her.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” she smiled at her husband and gave him a well-deserved kiss on his lips. The three children smiled, the dog groaned in the corner and the cat on the counter continued to clean herself oblivious to life around her. Both the dog and cat knew it wasn’t their time yet, so they had to content themselves with just being spectators.
“Thank you darling,” Emma said to her husband after she had sat down and he pushed her chair back in, “what was Mia asking you?” Ben repeated the question Mia had posed to him. “You know something young lady,” Mia’s mother said to her, “you’re a very bright girl. What a question to ask. I don’t think many people would think of something like that, especially at your age”
Both boys looked depressed for a second until Ethan said, “mom I was thinking just that question the other day. In fact, I asked Mia and she couldn’t answer it and so now she asked you my question.” The grown-ups sensed that World War Three was just below the horizon. This required quick thinking on their part if they wanted peace and tranquillity in the Butcher house that weekend. Emma to the rescue. Her husband was too busy trying to keep out of that little war.
“I’m sure you did,” and as soon as Emma said that, she sensed her daughter was about to object because she knew full well, as did her husband that Ethan had never posed the question to his sister. That would’ve been totally out of character. It would’ve meant that Ethan at the tender age of 11 didn’t know something. All boys at the age of 11 knew everything there was to know in the world. So quick thinking was required by her. She looked at her husband but as usual he was no help. He saw his wife look at him for help, but he pointed to his mouth as if to say I have a mouth full of whatever and can’t talk, you’re on your own.
“I know,” continued Emma, “that all three of you have at some point thought the same question, as have dad and I,” she added the last three words with some emphasis as she saw Mia opening her mouth to object.
“Can you imagine,” said Ben who now knew it was safe to enter the discussion as his wife had diffused the situation, “if they called medicine a science and weather predicting an art?”
“Well, it should be,” replied Emma, “because can you imagine if medicine had the same rate of getting things right as weather predicting! Who would have an operation if they knew they only had a 50% chance of survival?”
“That’s why I asked the question,” said an exasperated Mia feeling that what she had asked had been reduced to a group text. After all, not only in her eyes but in those of everyone else at the table, she at 15 and as the eldest child was by far the most intelligent. The two boys knew that, but they didn’t want her to know that they knew that. Ethan was the most vocal of the two boys as his brother at 6 was only interested in the present. Limited to what was on the table in front of him at that moment. He knew he had the rest of his long life to tackle the major issues confronting the world. Right then he was focused on whether there was enough scrambled eggs for him to have a second helping, after his mother who had only just come downstairs had helped herself. He watched her intently as she scooped the scrambled eggs on to her plate. Horror struck him, his mother had taken it all. What was he to do? His mind was in a whirl and in order for him to now plan his next move he had to tune out the rest of his family in order to think properly.
“Dad,” he said meekly at first, not wanting to sound out of line. Robert at 6 even though he was only a mere child had been recognised by his family as being the most political, meaning that he chose his openings well. “Dad,” he said a little louder as the argument continued unabated between the rest of the family, as to why medicine was called an art and meteorology a science. A subject he knew he could not enter because at 6, he had not yet been blessed with the skills required. “Dad,” he said a little louder and was now heard. Ben wanted to step back from the fray for a minute and hearing his youngest son call his name, seemed to be the appropriate time.
“Yes Robert, how can I help you.”
“Dad there’s not enough egg left for Dana and Bash to have leftovers.”
Ben smiled. He had heard that line before. His son obviously wanted some more but didn’t want to sound like a pig. “You know what Robert, you are very right. Why don’t I make some more and then you can try it first to see if Dana and Bash would care for it?” What a great idea thought Robert isn’t my dad the best. Ben was relieved to get up from the table and walk into the kitchen followed closely by Robert together with the cat and dog, who felt that their place was with the master of the house and not the squabbling entourage. Ben picked up his son and placed him on the counter a good distance away from the stove and Bash the cat jumped up to keep him company. The dog felt left out but was used to feeling that way in the Butcher house. So, with a louder than usual groan lay down on the floor far enough from the action so as not to be a hindrance.
“Dad,” said Robert as he watched his dad expertly scramble the eggs.
“Yes Robert,” answered his father.
“Dad why do you add milk and butter when you make your scrambled eggs, but others don’t?” “Others meaning who Robert?”
“Mummy for instance.”
“Ah ha,” replied Ben keeping his eye on the pan as the eggs began to steam, “that’s because Mummy is an American and I’m British. This how we make scrambled eggs in England and your mother makes it differently.”
“I like them both,” he said knowing that his father would not pursue that.
“And so you should,” replied the father as he poured the scrambled eggs in to a dish and helped his son down from the counter. He led the way with the rest following.
They were still debating the question posed by Mia when they entered the dining room. Robert retook his seat. The cat and dog took up their respective places now knowing they had scrambled eggs coming soon and the father gave his son two large dollops of scrambled eggs. The sound at the table stopped abruptly.
“Dad I want some more,” The other two children said in unison and his wife smiled.
I’ll tell you what,” he replied, “the rest here is for Dana and Bash, but I’m going to make an egg white omelette stuffed with smoked salmon for anyone who wants it.” Not sure if they would like it so only Emma put up her hand. The dog and cat were now pleased that that little crisis had been averted. “And as far as the question is concerned,” said the father, “I’m going to get the answer from Jason’s dad who is a doctor, ok?”
There was a period of quiet in the house now as they had all finished their breakfast.
“Mum,” said Mia.
“Yes, Mia dear,” she replied.
“Do you know any weatherman?”
Emma smiled, “now my dear, I don’t and even if I did, I wouldn’t admit it to anyone.”
Ben retuned with the egg white omelette stuffed with the smoked salmon for his wife. “Thank you darling,” she smiled her beautiful smile. There was peace now for a few hours in the Butcher household.