A Lesson In Accountability

Me: Beaumont, where’s your ball?

Beau: You’re the one who threw it. Don’t you know?

Me: Ummm… well, the practice is… I throw. You run and fetch.

Beau: You’ve got that a little wrong Louise.

Me: How so?

Beau: Well, it should be – You throw. I run in the direction it looked like you were throwing it and fetch it.

Me: So we’re back to blaming me again are we?

Beau: No blame here Louise. It’s more holding you accountable for not throwing the ball in a straight line.

Me: Well, you know. If you didn’t run ahead before I release the ball maybe you’d see it’s not going in the direction I indicated before I threw it.

Beau: Oh. So you’re blaming me now!

Me: I threw it. You didn’t fetch it. The ball is lost. You’re to blame. End of story.

Beau: You know the blame game is self-defeating right?

Me: Seriously Beau!? Can we just play ball. Please?

Beau: Ummm…. Don’t we need a ball to do that?

Me: Isn’t that what this whole conversation’s been about?

Beau: I thought it was about your not taking responsibility for where you throw the ball.

Me: No. It was about you not keeping your eye on the ball.

Beau: Ahhh…. So, care to show me where you think it landed in all this snow?

Me: (sigh) I can’t.

Beau: Why not.

Me: (sheepishly) I wasn’t watching where I threw it.

Beau: I rest my case.

And once again, Beau manages to teach me a lesson in accountability.

Now… if he could just teach me how to throw straight!

Sigh… and in case you’re wondering. The ball was never found… maybe next spring…