I'm a father and like any father I dearly love my child. We all know we're supposed to love and cherish our children but there's something else we are supposed to do.
Make fun of them from time to time. It's good for them and hey, if you can't point and laugh at family who can you do it to?
I present for your comedic consideration The Van. When Jen went haring off to Hungary (the land of The Huns you know) she left us her van. Now, for those of you who have or ever had small children this without a doubt comes as no surprise to you.
Parents have better things to do than constantly keep up on the cleanliness of their various Child Transportation Conveyances. Hence, the state of hygiene of The Van. I decided to drive The Van around a bit. You know, keep the fluids flowing, keep the tires round and see what she's got. (Hint; It's a van, she don't got much). During the ride I noticed a certain....odour. I noticed it as it crept up from the back and started beating me about the head. It was piquant with a full bouquet and just a tang of baby vomit. And is that a hint of spilled milk mixed with the musky remnants of a full diaper? Why yes, I believe it is. So, with head firmly out the drivers window, I felt it might be time to maybe do some Spring Cleaning. In February. Hey, you take Spring where you find it.
I present you proof that small children are in fact wanna be chipmunks. This is my granddaughters seat. Where her car seat goes. We found this after removing said car seat.
Jen wisely chose a mat with little indentations to catch whatever fell down there. Each of those indentations, cups if you will, was packed with to the top with...stuff. It was compressed to the consistency of concrete. I took the mat out and threw it on the ground upside down. Then I beat on it with a broom. When I turned it over again not one single molecule of this....stuff had fallen out. It required a jackhammer and industrial strength solvent to clean. Well, I exaggerate. It was only Muriatic Acid.
This was the rear of The Van, in a secret compartment behind the rear seats. Hey Jen, is that wrapping paper? Heh, heh, heh.
So, why the rip off of a reasonably good and pretty darn frightening Kurt Russel movie for the title to this post?
I think something is alive in The Van. After cleaning it to within an inch of my life I decided to drive it again. As I drove I could have sworn I saw something move. Out of the corner of my eye. When I turned it was gone but was that the tip of a tentacle disappearing under the floor mats I saw? I dismissed it but later I swear I felt something brush the back of my neck. You know, where the alien sticks it's tendril to suck out your brain and take over your body? You know? Like that.
I screamed like a politician facing a runoff election and piled out of The Van. I fired 3 quick rounds into the floorboard. I think it was 3. It might have been 15. I was a little spooked. (Don't worry Jen. The holes are barely noticeable. Sorry about that). When the smoke cleared I saw....nothing. We've set off several Febreeze bombs but I'm pretty sure I saw movement in there again yesterday.
I parked The Van and there it remains. I am startled. I am so, so startled.
Could it be true? Can the leavings from kids snacks, combined with sleep drool, spilled juice and the smell of overripe diapers actually create life?
I don't know but I'm not going in there again without Kurt and a flamethrower.
Jen, when are you coming home????
eric
7 comments:
If I'm Jen and I just read your blog, well... I'd have wished I hadn't.
;- P
I'm anticipating some revenge coming my way Doohickie. And that girl's smarter than me.
Way smarter.
wimper
eric
Hi Eric,
I am Jen and Robs sister-n-law Angie and I thought this was very cleverly written. Note to self if I should ever meet Eric make sure the van fairies have cleaned it before hand lol. The thing that came to life in the van was just the voices in your head it happens to the best of us when we finally have to resolve to driving mini vans.
Hi Angie! Welcome and thanks for checking in.
Sorry to tell you this but you're family and family is fair game so I'm just gonna have to come out there and check out your van :) I'm always looking for material.
I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one hearing those voices when I drive the mini van. Now if I can just learn to ignore them the rest of the time.
eric
Okay... I've sat on this a while trying to think of pithy and intelligent comebacks.
So, yeah.
Though, this I will say: You've got the seats backwards. I only tell you this because Little J was beside herself that the world may think of her as having slovenly habits! For shame! She sat behind the passenger seat and was neat and orderly as any self respecting girl should be. And Little B? Yeah, he told me to tell you he's pretty upset that you cleaned that seat. He had been secreting all the good stuff down there for a while now, creating an admirable collection. He was saving that stuff for some day when Mom failed to provide snacks and he was in moral danger of starving! Cause 5 mintue drives give you tons of time to starve to death.
Oh, and I'm surprised that the smell of diapers managed to bully it's way past the lingering scent of dog that must be logged inside your nostrils.
And I know for a fact that the monster only comes out when you clean the van. Duh! Why do you think I left it like that? Think I'm lazy or something? Nope, the thing likes to live under a mound of ever shifting stuff and I'm a good hostess that keeps a nice nest back there in hopes that it won't eat me. Or my kids. But mostly me.
Wrong seats? Oh, yeah, I remember now. That would explain the tiny car wheels I also found there.
You must be kigging about the dogs. Chrisi was way offended that you'd say she had an odour. Trooper just gave me a blank look and licked his butt.
As for the monster. I sacrificed a virgin bag of sports jelly beans in the van the other day. He was apparently appeased but now I think he's hooked on sugar and caffiene.
I need a bigger gun.
papa
Hi Eric,
You are more than welcome to visit us anytime. I can't guarantee that our trail mix under the seats will be as appetizing but hey I am sure there is plenty to go around :)
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