A Daughter Asks Her Mother to Watch Over Her Child.

I recall a tale that a neighbour once told me, a story that has lingered in my mind for years. It began with a young girl, Elsie, asking her mother to look after her infant brother while she ran an errand.

The narrator was my old friend John Whitaker. His wife, Emily Whitaker, had recently welcomed a son into the world. The baby was only six months old. John was a delivery driver, and Emily was on maternity leave. Normally John did not get home until after six oclock in the evening, but on that particular day his van broke down, and he was forced to hand it over to the garage.

John quickly spotted the problem. The mechanics identified the fault, yet they could not source a replacement part in time. They promised it would be fitted by the afternoon of the following day. The foreman granted John permission to leave the workshop and head home early, which delighted him. He decided to surprise Emily, so he kept the early return to himself and did not ring her to explain.

He slipped the key into the lock and entered the house as quietly as a mouse, aware that his son was still asleep. After a halfday spent crawling beneath the engine, he was far from fresh, so he headed straight for the shower. He stripped down, scrubbed away the grime, then padded into the bedroom where Emily and the infant were supposed to be. He did not even wrap a towel around himself.

Meanwhile, with Emily absent, she had gone to see the doctor and had asked her own mother, Mrs. Clarke, to mind her son for a while. Their plan was that the grandparents would also drop by. As the elder couple settled into the sitting room, admiring their sleeping grandchild, John burst in, stark naked. An uncomfortable hush fell over the room. John glanced, mortified, at Emilys parents, and they stared back in equal surprise.

Good afternoon, John managed, hastily covering himself with his hand.

Good afternoon, good afternoon, replied the fatherinlaw, trying to ease the tension.

John stood there a moment, collected his thoughts, fled to his coat and trousers, and hurried out to the corner shop.

Ten minutes later the whole family was gathered around a small table, each holding a glass of brandy.

Id prefer if this little mishap stayed between us, John said earnestly to his inlaws.

What do you mean? asked Mrs. Clarke.

My wife didnt notice a thing, the fatherinlaw added, nodding at his soninlaw.

Im truly grateful to you both, John concluded.

From that day I learned that the safest way to avoid such awkward moments is to give ones spouse a headsup whenever the parents are due to visit.