Lessening global warming on the home front

By Lucie Lehmann-Barclay

“Chill!”

Becky’s voice cut through the heated argument going on in the back seat.

It had been a long day at the office and the last thing she needed now was to referee a dispute between the four-year-old twins. When she picked them up from pre-school, the boys had come out arguing. Then, in the car and finally at home, they continued their private struggle, one that seemed to have gone on since they were born. And it was always Jake, the smaller, brighter boy, who was would tease Ezz, the larger and slower one until he would explode and retaliate in some way..

This time it was more than she could take on a warm afternoon. She broke into a sweat while she was separating the two of them, and then she flipped on the air-conditioner and threw herself on the couch. As the blast of cold air hit her, she gave in to self-pity and burst into tears. She didn’t see it, but the boys exchanged chagrined looks that said: Oh, oh. We caused this…

Becky finally closed her eyes and decided she could take no more. She would have to get professional help either for herself or for the boys. As she considered the possibilities, she became aware of muffled sounds from out in the kitchen and wondered what kind of mess was going on. She heard liquid being poured and ice cubes clinking. And then there was a timid, “Mom?” It was Ezz the big one, with a big glass in one hand and a smaller one in the other. Jake came behind him with his own glass. “Lemonade, Mom?”

She looked up, and suddenly it didn’t matter that they were spilling lemonade on themselves and on the carpet. She took her glass from Ezz, and then the boys sat on the couch, one on each side of her.

And that was how Ike found them when he came home, Becky with an arm around each boy and empty glasses on the floor.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Well,” smiled Becky, “we just solved the sibling problem. They’ve been fighting over who came first. So I told them that one had to come first, and that was Ezz, but Jake hurried right after and took hold of Ezz’s hand to show they were friends.”

And not only did the brothers remain friends, but when their teacher asked the class to think of ways to lessen global warming, Jake was first to raise his hand: “Don’t fight with your brother or sister. Then your mom won’t get all hot and sweaty.”

“But,” added Ezz: “If you do fight, then bring her lemonade and when she has cooled down, you can turn off the air conditioner, like I did.”