My Future Family Needs Cable Television

Walking out to feed the bunnies last night, Little Z and I had the following conversation:

Z, age 7: "Do we have to buy cable?"

Me: "No. We don't have cable. We've never had cable."

Z: "Well, if we don't pay for cable, where does the television come from?"

Me: "You just get an antenna, and the antenna catches it from the air. The TV is in the air, all around us." [Motioning towards the frozen air above us, it kind of freaked me out for a second, all of those TV waves.]

Z: "So, my future family could have an antenna. We don't have to pay for cable?"

Me: "Well, I guess the world could change. They could outlaw antennae by then. But you don't need cable, no. I don't think they'll outlaw antennae or anything."

Z: "That's what I thought! You don't have to pay for cable! I wish you could tell my future family that."


Me: "Well, that's kind of far in the future, isn't it? Can't you tell them?"

Z: "No! My future family! You know? For math camp? We have to figure out our expenses and stuff? For our future family?"

Me: "And they're making you get cable? You don't need cable! Cable is a luxury!"

Z: "That's what I told my teacher! But she says we have to have cable!"

We got back inside the house, where Bad Assed Husband was sitting on the couch.

Me: "They're making her get cable for her future family!"

BAH: "I know! What a rip! No one needs cable!"

Me: "That's what I was telling her!"

BAH [to Z] : "And they've got you working selling cell phones at the mall, with two kids at home! It doesn't pay to work, with a job like that! You should just stay home with the kids."

Z: "It's not at the mall, Dad. I'm just a cell phone salesperson."

BAH: "Not at the mall? Where are you selling cell phones, then?"

Z: "I don't know. It's just not at the mall."

BAH: "Well, still. You can't pay for two kids in daycare, with a job like that. What does your husband do, again?"

Z: "He's a librarian."

BAH: "Librarian... huh. He might make less money than you do. See which one of you makes the least money, and that person can quit their job and stay home with the kids. It doesn't pay to work, with two little kids at home. You save money taking care of them yourself, and then you get more time with them, too. And no cable! It's a waste of money."

Little Z, Age 7: "Okay."




2 comments:

  1. Sounds like cable is right up there with food and shelter in the future. Hope I'm dead by then.

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  2. Wow! Amazingly specific future family :)

    ReplyDelete