marked words

I’m starting to understand displacement!

I think I’m getting these ideas

Rhino sits, ensconced on the couch in the fuzzy blue blanket, laptop atop lap, trailing the single earbud anchored in his left ear. Staring, as ever, at the screen. Typing away.

This is the brave new world for today’s high school frosh.

I’m kind of old school, and so accordingly commence my dadsplaining.

You should write them down

if you use a pencil and paper, you’ll be more likely to retain them, they’ll stick better for the test. Why don’t you sit over at the desk so you can set up with a pencil and paper, so you can write them down.

He hesitates, and gives me a confident, if dismissive, wave.

I’ve got this, papa. I’m understanding it.

I walk out of the room with a roll of my eyes. It’s a conversation we’ve had many times and deep down, we both know I’m right

Ha.

So, naturally, being right, it is my duty to get the last words in.

I’m marking these words, we’ll see how the test goes. Definitely marking these words.

And, as I head down the stairs, almost out of earshot, I hear his reply

You should write them down