Just this once

Usually, when the phone rings during the day, it’s a member of my family calling.  Which is just as well, really.

While I’m chatting, Fainjin will come up and wrap himself around my legs or climb into my lap, and decide who he wants to talk to.  And that is usually not the person whom I am talking to.  “I say hello Nana!” he’ll declare, and I reply, “It’s not Nana, it’s Auntie B.  Do you want to say hello to Auntie B?”  Who am I kidding?  He’s made his decision.  “Not Auntie B!  Is NANA!  Not Auntie B!  Auntie B finished! Fainjin say hello NANA.”

Usually I move away and continue the conversation.  It does get a bit awkward if I’m talking to a tradesman or similar, with him loudly insisting that he should say hello, but the payoff is when telemarketers call.  They can hear that I’m “too busy” and “it’s not a good time”.  I tend not to move away from him when they call.

Tonight, though, I resorted to a new solution.  I was talking to his Nana, and he smiled sweetly, climbed into my lap, and said, “Fainjin say hello Gweat-Gwan?”  I told him it was Nana, and got the usual response, but instead of arguing, I said, “Fine.  Mum, you’re Great-Gran.  Say hello!”  She played along, and he was stunned into silence.

I win.