Negotiations

"Mom," began the Verbalist in the tone of voice that signifies an excursion into the landscape of polysyllabic words. "Panda's differential needs to be adjusted. I think I need to build a contraption tool that I can take with me to school and work on there."

"Oh?" I replied coolly, having learned anything more than nominal interest will provoke an all day lecture on the subject. I wondered where he picked up the phrase adjusted differential, ours not being a house where that is a typical topic of conversation.

"Yes," he said, "there's a large workspace there where I will not be bothered by those little girls." He gestured expansively to his siblings.

"Hmmm," I hummed in a slightly discouraging tone. I did not want the exodus of LEGOs to school begin, say yes once and the floodgates open. I run a benevolent tyranny but exit visas were more easily available to Viktor Laslo than to the kidling'd toys.

"Besides," the Verbalist said, "Cody is the only person I know who is good at adjusting bears." This represented his (imagined) coup d'etat. I let him stew a bit. Unkind, but frequently it yields bonus arguements of circular kid logic that can take you hours to puzzle out. No more arguements surfaced, the friend was his last best shot.

"Well how about a bargain?" I glanced down at the Verbalist's attentive face. "You may take Panda to school on Friday and get him adjusted then." He turned a jubilant face to the heavens. "Just this once," I said firmly.

"Yes!!!! Yes!!!" he cried dancing around. I let him revel in his victory. Why tell him I had planned on letting him take the bear anyways? Friday is the kindergarten Halloween party. The Verbalist is dressed as Robin and Panda as Batman, the Dynamic Duo lives!