Dangerous Deodorant and Duct Tape

Saturday night my son, Bob, asks me, "Dad, where's the duct tape?"

"What do you need duct tape for?"

"I'll tell you later. Where is it please?"

"I don't know. Try...." and I listed a bunch of places to try. Bob looked and looked. Normally, Bob isn't this interested in home repair items. Likewise, Bob's interest seemed "intense".

Bob finally found the duct tape because he stopped bothering me over it. I saw the tape in his bedroom the next morning.

That afternoon, I asked Bob, "Why did you need this duct tape?"

"I don't really want to tell you."

Ben pipes in, "Let me tell, let me tell!"

"Okay," says the Bob-meister.

"Well, Dad, you see Bobby got mad at me for winning a game of Star Wars: Empire at War, so he threw his deodorant at the wall. The deodorant hit the side of the wall with a glancing blow and smashed into the window. Bobby broke the window here, see?"

Ben pulled up the blinds and there, staring me in the face, was a large patch of duct tape holding the bedroom window together. I'd say the size is about 8" by 10". Yeah.

I look at Bob and laugh and laugh. He grins and says, "The room was getting really cold, so I had to tape it fast!"

I just kept laughing.

Generally, your children will destroy your possessions. Destroyed things are part and parcel for having kids. You have kids, your good stuff will break.

The Irish Wolfhound folks say you can expect to pay, in replacement parts and bits, the same amount of money you paid for your dog. For example, if you paid $1,500 for an Irish Wolfhound puppy, you'll spend another $1,500 replacing chewed remote controls, shoes, etc. A full grown Irish Wolfhound can reach the top of your refrigerator, so nothing's safe.

I suppose with kids, it's about the same. However, in all fairness, I don't recall Bob ever breaking anything before. Likewise, I didn't know Mennen™ brand Speed Stick™ deodorant could be a dangerous projectile in the hands of an irate 17-year old boy.

Who knew?

I suppose if I ever do get around to replacing this window -- which faces the back of the house and no one will ever see -- it'll cost me about $150.00. In the meantime, I'm in no hurry to spend the cash and the boys are fine with a duct taped window.

Duct tape really is an amazing thing.