"How about if Mom joins Dad on his trip?"

So there we are, sitting around the table eating dinner, and the boys start asking about our plans for the beginning of summer break. Ummm, ... well, Dad has to go to Faraway City for about 10 days on business, but there's not a lot else planned right then.

I should explain – what will be no surprise to regular readers – that D and I have plans for her to spend nearly the entire trip with me in Faraway City. In fact, when I first told her I had to travel there at all, she started planning her flight. When I finally told her the dates and she realized I would be there for a week and a half, she gasped at how wonderful it would be to spend so much time together.

Trying to be practical, I ventured, "Well, I don't know what else you have on your calen---"

"I'll clear it!" she interrupted immediately.

But we finalized all these arrangements a couple weeks ago, and I was talking about dinner tonight. Anyway the boys explained that it's been a long time (on their clock) since they saw my parents, and they'd like a chance to go see them.

First Son 1 proposed a plan: we all drive down to my parents' house as soon as school is over. Then I leave for Faraway City as planned, but the rest of them stay there till I get back. But he interrupted himself with the realization that my flight is out of the town where we live now, and not my parents' town (which is a good long drive away).

Still, the two boys talked up the idea for a couple of minutes. One of them (I forget which, because they bounce off each other so fast) posed the rhetorical question whether it was really safe to put Wife and my father together in the same house for so long, since their fights (over politics, religion, manners, morals, ... you name it) are pretty much legendary in the family. Wife tried to object that she and my father get along a lot better than they used to, at the same time that the other boy said, "It will give them time to settle their differences." (At that, Wife chuckled and said, "We've had 26 years in which to settle them so far ....")

But then Son 2 proposed his alternate plan. He said, grinning, "Look, what we want is to be spoiled rotten by Grandma and Grandpa, so it's actually better if you two aren't along. HOW ABOUT IF MOM JOINS DAD IN FARAWAY CITY FOR HIS 10-DAY TRIP; THEN SHE CAN GO PLAY TOURIST WHILE HE'S IN THE OFFICE AND YOU BOTH CAN GO SEE MOVIES OR SOMETHING IN THE EVENING, AND WE GET TO BE SPOILED BY OUR GRANDPARENTS?"

Wife said, "I'm not sure Dad would want me along ...." I just threw my head back and laughed, although I refused point-blank to explain why I was laughing. I did allege that I'd be spending a lot of time in the office, and (err, ahem, hrum) I'm not sure what there is for tourists to see in Faraway City.

The conversation moved on somewhere else from there, and I'm sure nobody took it seriously as a suggestion. I'm sure Wife won't try to follow up on it. But it sure did take me aback! How about if Mom joins Dad in Faraway City ...? Gosh, that would be dramatic! Maybe not ....