"So, where are we going this
year?" said Mum. "Another year has gone round and we have to decide
what to do. Any ideas where you'd like to go?"
"I have thought about
this. A lot." offered Tracy.
"And what places did you
think of?" asked Dad.
"Well, there are all the
places in Europe - Spain, Italy, Greece."
"Spanish islands
too," interrupted Jimmy.
"And there's
America," Tracy continued, ignoring Jimmy's comments. "I'd really
love to go to Las Vegas. To see it for myself as I've heard so much about it.
Caesar's Palace where all the Big Stars go."
"Ibiza is a good place
for the sun," Jimmy went on as though Tracy had not ignored him.
"Majorca too. Or Menorca, even."
"Wasting time in the sun
when we could go and actually look around these places and everything they have
to offer. After we have spent so much time and money getting there. It seems
silly to just lie in the sun getting burnt."
"Don't be so negative,
Harry," Pauline chastised her husband.
"I'm not being negative, Pauline.
It's true. It is so stupid to just sit in the sun. We could all get skin
cancer."
"Live dangerously. That's
what I say," Tracy threw in.
"That's easy to say when
you're so young...," continued Harry in his wisdom.
"There you go again, Dad.
Meaning I know nothing. I do know things."
"I didn't mean that. When
you get a little older you will be more careful."
Tracy stood up looking very
indignant saying: "I'm going out."
"Tracy, don't you want to
go anywhere on holiday this year?" Pauline said. "If you leave now,
we may decide where we are going without asking your opinion." Tracy sat
down, a gloomy look all over her face.
Pauline went on: "Can't
we agree on something, just for once? This is supposed to be a family decision
about where we are going for our holiday. And all we do is argue. Jimmy, you've
been very quiet. What do you think?"
"I told you, the Spanish
islands sound nice. I'd like to go somewhere like that. Lots to do. All those
beaches."
"Two weeks playing in the
sand. How boring," Tracy added helpfully. "Showing your age again,
Jimmy. Twelve. Going on twelve. Typical kid."
"You're horrible, Tracy.
You think you're so smart at 15. I hate you."
"We're no closer to
deciding where we are going," cautioned Mum.
Pragmatically Harry advised:
"If we don't cool down we won't be going anywhere. It'll be too late to
book anything."
"School holidays are
always a problem," reminded Pauline. "We have to choose sometime in
July or August."
"It annoys me the way
holiday companies bump up the prices in the Summer Holidays. Greed that's what
it is. Pure and simply greed. And I'm not really sure we have the time to go
anywhere. There are so many projects we need to get started," threatened
Harry.
"What? Go nowhere?"
bleated the children together. They were nearly in shock.
"That got your attention,
didn't it? So, where are we going? We have got to make a decision. Come on.
Lets have your ideas. So far we have July or August and Europe or America. It's
a start."
"I want to go to
Menorca," confirmed Jimmy.
"Las Vegas," Tracy said.
"Pauline?"
"Oh, anywhere you
like."
"OK. Since nobody can
make a decision around here. I'll do it. It's Margate. Again."
"Margate?" all three
whimpered in concert.
After a little focused thought
that this threat forced, the Internet holiday web page eventually displayed the
island of Cyprus.
"It's amazing how
breaking the circle of indecision can effect results," Harry later told
Pauline.
© Louis Brothnias (2005), Rev
2 (2007)