Get Used to Disappointment ~ Wesley from The Princess Bride

One cannot have everything the way he would like it. A man has no business to be depressed by a disappointment, anyway; he ought to make up his mind to get even. ~ Mark Twain

We have had an unexpected turn of events with regard to my son's x-box.  No, we did not cave in and give it back.  He , after spending a week without, has figured out that perhaps...PERHAPS he was spending too much time on it and has asked us to sell it. *I'll wait for you to pick yourself up off the floor*.  All settled?  

Yes, this was a surprise to us as well.  A good surprise.  Of course, we're not stupid and we know that he DOES have an ulterior motive:  his 16th birthday is the end of next month and I believe that he actually thinks he is going to, with our assistance, buy a car.

I don't think he really understands what owning a vehicle entails.  Insurance...I just called our insurance company to find that adding him as an occasional driver to our vehicles will DOUBLE our insurance.  Yes. Double.  Gas...we're pennies away from gas being $3/gal.  That is just adding him to our policy.  Now, IF he gets his own car, the insurance goes up from double.  There is still the gas issue.  But then there is also the maintenance issue.  Oil change? $20.  New tires? $3-400.  Brake job? No idea.  But it's still money.

Instead of a car, I think I'll make him chili for dinner.  It's rainy and cold.  He was asking for it last night while he was mocking the Penne in a vodka sauce, tossed salad and both cheesy and garlic bread as "sissy"*.  No way can my chili be called sissy.  I doubt it will take the sting out of his disappointment of not getting a car, but it's the best I can do.

*sissy=no meat...*horrors*