Can You Still Play That Card?

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This summer when I was visiting my in-laws a bunch of the family went to the Grand Canyon. Never mind those carefully placed warning signs about climbing. We decided like usual to take our chances and climb down and out to the best views you can get. Fairing well, loosing neither limb nor life, we consider it a successful feat. I took extra pride in this particular trip. Not only had I done the whole thing in sandals (bad idea I know) but I had just had our first child four months previous.
As I was climbing back up my husband gave me his hand; as I had become winded and rightfully so. My brother-in-law gave me a good joshing and my come back......."You push out a seven pound baby and see if you can climb the Grand Canyon four months later". His response "Yea maybe I will". I had to laugh and it made for a good hearted response. Any man knows its a given not to debate a woman on such an issue.
Later, though, when the story was retold my mother-in-law said "How long are you going to play that card for?". At first I was a bit confused. From what I knew mine hadn't expired yet. Weren't you suppose to get a notice in the mail or something? "YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO I GAVE BIRTH IS NOW EXPIRED". From what I knew my mothers hadn't ran out until 22 years later when I gave birth myself. I was under the impression her card on my sister was still good. My mother use to whip that puppy out at just the right moment and it had a good amount of power over my father. I couldn't help thinking as a child how I couldn't wait to get my own someday and what mine could get me. Maybe a years worth of foot rubs or maybe a house?
I must admit my card did treat me well the first few months I possessed it. I don't recall playing it too often, and tried to save up for those special things. I knew it wasn't like a rewards card, that the more I used it the more points I got. And that when played at the right moment it could get more attention that Visa, Chase, MasterCard, and American Express combined. Yet at 4 months it had been brought to my attention that card was expired. So was she right?
What if we were given a week of card rights for every hour of labor? Fair enough right? Than those super perky gals that slept through the whole thing; or can't wait to do it again only get three to six weeks. Then for those of us who had thirty hours or more would get seven and a half months. Seems pretty fair to me. Then by those standards I should have had eight and a half months to pull that card. Then my daughter could fairly say she never heard me utter those words; and had never been guilted for being brought into this world.
So what do you think? How long did you mother play this card and how long do you think you should be able to? Leave some comments and come back for the results.

1 comment:

  1. Bravo, but eventually it doesn't get the same affect it used too. Pretty soon the comebacks getting harder to debate. Like...Noboday asked you to have a kid or try being a man, and God forbid they got a vasectomy, they'll play that card till they die. In their mind their and ours, it'll never be even, but in the end we know that our labor was more rewarding, thankless as it is.

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