Mom and dad show me pictures of their trip down south on the camera I borrowed them. Actually they haven’t seen any of them either since they have no idea how to review them without my help. Mom finds a picture of dad and busts out laughing, “I’m surprised you didn’t say anything about this one!” mom shouts jabbing at the camera screen. She’s referring to a particularly unflattering photo of dad. “He looks so chubby!” Dad grumbles and pulls himself off the floor, “Let me see that!” he says grabbing the camera out of mom’s hands. “When mom goes on a diet I have to eat everything else,” dad explains sadly sauntering into the kitchen.

A few minutes later mom corners dad in the kitchen and starts poking at his stomach. Dad squeals in protest, “She likes to play with the dough boy!” dad says rolling his eyes as he desperately tries to fend off mom’s pokes.

“C’mon show her!” mom says punching playfully at dad’s little ponch. “Stop it!” dad cries helplessly as mom continues to antagonize him. Finally dad shoves air into his stomach making him resemble a pregnant dough boy. Mom claps in triumph.

The next day mom contemplates making a second rhubarb cake, ‘only because she has so much rhubarb.’ Dad groans his disapproval, “Look at her turn us into blimps in one weekend!” he exclaims. Mom’s jaw drops, “I turn you into a blimp? What about the Dairy Queen treats you’ve been picking up for yourself? and the popcorn at the movie theatre?”

Dad shoves his last spoonfool of heath blizzard into his mouth and stalks off to play poker. It seems a dose of reality is a little more than he can bare.