The Devil made me do it

You know you have done it.

So don't EVEN try to deny it.

Even you 'holy' people out there on the front row. Sanctimonious piety will not help you now.

You provoke someone just to see how they will react. And then you poke at them just enough to keep them stirred up.

Well, today has been one of those days.

The 64 dollar question for today is:
How creative can you be in helping someone come up with ideas to keep their "holiday guest" busy, whom they really do not want to spend time with, but whom they are COMPELLED by circumstance to have to entertain or be considered a 'Scrooge'?

Or, at least, more of a Scrooge than you and they already unashamedly are.

First, you check the community calendar. . .of every single community within a days' driving distance.

And a few that are outside that limit.

And you pray that there is ANYTHING that you can take in that will fill the time that you are compelled to spend with someone with whom you have absolutely nothing in common. There is only so much smiling and nodding you can do without your lips sticking to your dry teeth and your neck going out of joint.

But worse yet, you plan ways to "ditch" them and not make it seem totally and transparently obvious to even the most dull witted kindergartner.

Does the police station still take in strays? Will anyone notice if you come home WITHOUT them? If you prop up the pillows in the bed just right, will everyone else assume they are STILL napping?

Then, because you are so full of it, flush with the plans you have in mind, you look for ways to twist the knife in online forums, chat rooms and blogs. Simply because shooting holes in the overinflated egos of people who are the 'deciders' of public policy is dang good fun. KA-POW!!

Finally, exhaustion sets in and the fun and games must come to an end.

There are no more pins left to burst the bubbles of insanity carried aloft by other people's expectations. And, frankly, you have no more strength left to pop the bubbles anyway. Whew!

You lull yourself to sleep thinking about how an allegedly mature adult can allow themselves to run so thoroughly amok and still sleep well at night. . . the answer for all of those who are just now catching up is simple.

With a SMILE.