Jackie Wells-Fauth
I am one of those lucky people who won the in-law lottery. I have very few in-laws who are hard for me to like and some of them are down-right wonderful.
I state this first, because I have always counted my two sons-in-law among them. Marty and Charles married my daughters, and we get on extremely well. I appreciate this, not to mention that they are kind of characters—in widely different ways—and I enjoy both of them.
That is, until this past weekend. Both of them, along with my daughters, are very tech-savvy and I have consulted with them on many issues—always successfully. So, when it was decided that I needed to upgrade my phone, I naturally sought opinion from my children, including the sons-in-law.
My daughters were advocating a type of phone that was a little fancier than I would probably need, and I was debating with myself whether I should try that or just stay with the phone I have and forget it. I do so hate change!
It was then that Charles spoke up. “If you get this type of phone (I honestly don’t know what he called it), it might be easier. It’s kind of… (he hesitated and then plunged in) dummy proof, so it’s easier to use.”
You have to know this serious young man to appreciate that I seldom have a chance to pick on him. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I went for it.
“What are you trying to say, Charles?” I asked, raising my eyebrows at him.
He hastened to explain that he just thought it would be simpler to use, and I was getting all set to pick on him some more, when apparently, Marty thought the water must be fine, so he jumped in with his brother-in-law.
“You know, my friend calls that kind of phone a Fisher Price toy phone,” he stated. Marty is kind of the joker of the crowd, so I didn’t hesitate to turn on him as well.
“I have always defended you two, been on your side, bragged about you and this is what you say to me? I have never been so offended!”
The bad news here is that neither one of them was at all bothered by their statements or my high indignation. I threatened them with everything I could think of right down to writing them out of the will (no final expenses for them to pay) and it didn’t change their attitude one bit.
It also doesn’t matter that they both have had to pull me out of the tech knowledge pit about a thousand times. I always have questions and problems and while most of the time they are fairly polite about my ignorance, I know that there are moments when they are mentally face-palming themselves. I understand English literature, not tech and I know for a fact that if Shakespeare had done his writing on a high-tech medium, I probably never would have read it!
Still, to have my sons-in-law join forces to make clear their lack of confidence in my abilities to handle a high-tech phone stung a little. This will be the subject of my general harassment of them for the next half a year or so. And I am fully confident that it will not bother them at all, because I won’t be harassing them on a high-tech phone!
In the end, I had my daughter buy the phone—their recommendation, but I wasn’t letting them help; it would be better to torment my daughter with it. I’m sure the phone will be fine and because it is not too complicated, I might be able to use it, but not to call them.
In truth, Charles and Marty, I really do love you boys—if the opinion of a dummied-down, Fisher Price kind of woman means anything to you!
dropsinthewell 