Mind Your Language

How roles have changed.

When the children were young, I had to mind my rather colourful language. Obviously I did not succeed because I once found my knee high daughter ( and my knees are not too far from the floor , I might add!) who in all the wisdom of her two and a half years asked her grandfather rather solemnly if he was also waiting for the Bloody lift. Grandfather did a double take and all that I could do was silence the little one with a threatening extra wide eyed look and violently jab the lift call button.

So also, I was astounded one day when our urbanised village bai kept saying "Shit" every time she struck a dud match against the box . Only when the match caught did she heave a sigh of relief, convinced in her mind that she had used the magic mantra.

But nothing prepared me for the shock of this agitated comment from my mother in law who is otherwise a placid old granny busy with her needlework or prayer books. Obviously she was so rattled by the person under discussion that she shook her hands and said " That lady is bitch! "

More finger wagging and hand shaking accompanied the total shocker " She needs kick in ass!"

The children now realise that old people are actually like sponges absorbing all that they see and hear ........................