Cleaning for Real

Scene:  Inter-video Living Room Cleaning.  J and A have just finished brushing teeth.

J:  "Come on, A -- M has reminded us that we need to clean the living room."

M:  "The pirate's on the floor, and your doctor bag is scattered everywhere, and I see your trains, and Gordon."

J:  "So we need to clean up and then we can watch a little more Sword in the Stone."  

A:  "I've got an idea..." (runs into bathroom)

M:  "What's he... (as he realizes there's going to be a replay of the Higidus Figidus scene)

J:  "I'm getting out of the way."  (M and J take seats on the sofa while A returns with a sink stool.)

A (standing on stool and waving hand):  "You guys, you're supposed to stand up."

J & M (smiling, getting up):  "OK."

A (making mystic passes and waving hands):  "Higidus Figidus ...  You're supposed to dance."

M (walking out of the room as if he were a dancing book animated by Merlin the Magician):  "OK."

A:  "...prestigitarium.  You're supposed to pick things up."

J (laughing)  M:  "Oh no!  That's not how it works; we're not going to be your servants.  What if I wanted to sing 'Hockity Pockity?'  (jostles A off of stool, waves hands)  Hockity pockity wockity whack!'  Now you have to clean."

A (turns red, starts crying)

J (channeling love-mom):  "Oh bud; it's really fun to watch videos of Merlin cleaning up with magic... but (realizes he's about to say...)"

M:  "Magic is pretend."

J:  "I wish I could clean up with magic; that would be fun."

M:  "Oh, I don't think so; I think there'd be consequences you wouldn't like."

A:  "But I want to clean with magic."

J & M (thinking this is really cute, supressing smiles).

A:  "It's not funny.  It would have worked.  The pirate would have been born with wings and a hand instead of a hook."

(Somehow we managed to clean up -- but now J feels like he just stepped sideways out of a Faerie Tale.)