Bean Training

(Photo note: I do not buy cool-whip! Sometimes people give me things in various disposable containers, and sometimes I don't dispose of them. Also, pay no attention to the chunks taken out of my brand new painted wall. It happened during kitchen installation and I haven't gotten to fixing that yet...)

Jonah helped me snap beans this morning. This is training for the future, when I can pick a big load of beans and then plop them on the table and tell him to get to work and I better not hear a word until he's done snapping ever' las' one of 'em. And don't make any messes and no whining or you don't get supper and turn out the light when you leave.

Okay, maybe I won't do it quite like that. That's just what my Mom did to us. Just kidding! Actually, she would read aloud to us while we snapped beans (for eight solid hours. Every day. All summer. Kidding!).

Anyway, training is frustrating. Sadly, I'm afraid that patience may not be one of my virtues after all.

To wit:

"Okay, I'll take one and snap the ends off for you and then you break it into pieces... Good! Okay, here's another one... Now-- Hey, don't eat the beans that you're going to snap. Just... Here's another one, no, you have to let me get one and snap the ends off for you! Take this --Don't bite it! If you want to eat one, eat a whole one. Don't-- stop! Listen... You can eat or snap. Don't eat the one you're snapping. No, let me get the ends off first. Good job! You're a great helper- don't bite them! Here's another one. Good! Now wait, let me get it. The ends have to come off first! No, you have to let me! Don't bi- Look, buddy. It's my way or the highway. If you're gonna help you have to do what I say. STOP BITING THEM! Here's one... now snap it into pieces. Great!"

Et cetera.

He did pretty well actually-- I was impressed. We just have to work on following directions. He wants to do my job as well as his own instead of allowing the work to be divided (I snap ends, he snaps pieces). And a lot of my beans have bite marks in them. Sigh.