Look. I’m sorry ok?

Me:  So… Beaumont.  What do you have to say for yourself?

Beaumont:    Say what?

Me:  Did something happen at the river today that you need to tell me about?

Beau:  Nah.  I’m good.

Me:  That’s debatable.  What do you have to tell me?

Beau:  Who told you?

Me:  Your dad.

Beau:  Fink.

Me:  Beau. He was looking after your best interests and thought I should know.

Beau:  What do you know?

Me:  Don’t play coy. Tell me.

Beau:  What? That I went for a swim in the river. So what?  I’m a good swimmer. I do it all the time.

Me:  You could have drowned.

Beau:  I didn’t though did I.

Me:  If Taylor hadn’t been there and pulled you out, you might have.

Beau:  I could probably have gotten out all on my own.

Me:  Not from what your dad and Taylor tell me.  You were at risk of sliding under the ice.

Beau:  Yeah well.  I’m fine now. Ok.

Me:  Did you learn a lesson?

Beau:  Yeah. Don’t trust my dad not to tell my secrets.

Me:  Can you see it was better than tellling me that you drowned? Or that Taylor drowned too? He did fall in trying to save you.

Beau:  Yeah. Well. Not my fall the ice broke.

Me:  Beaumont. The ice and river are dangerous at this time of year. Do not go near the river’s edge.

Beau:  Okay. Okay. I get the message.

Me:  Do you?

Beau:  Yeah. I do. Now. Can I please go back to dreaming about chasing squirrels?

Me:  As long as you don’t dream about chasing them across the ice near the river.

Beau:  (Sigh)  I won’t.

Me:  Fine. Then you may go back to sleep. (Pause) But you won’t scare us like that again. Promise?

Beau:  (Sigh) Promise.

Me:  Good.

For once it is Beau sighing, not me. He went chasing the ball that accidently bounched down the hill to the river. The ball went in, Beaumont went after it. Taylor, C.C.’s son, who had taken him for a walk with his girlfriend and was not aware of Beau’s propensity to chase the ball no matter where it went, had to go chasing after Beau. The ice cracked. Taylor fell in. Fortunately, it was only waist deep and they didn’t get swept away.

This is one of those times when “all’s well that ends well” is a really good thing.

it’s also one of those times when I really hope Beaumont got a lesson he really will remember!