Princess Sparkley gets a Job

by B

      Every year on her birthday, I tell Princess it's high time she got a job. Well, she's finally listened.
     This all started the last time we visited our cousins. Evidently Girl Cousin (or maybe just Girl Cousin's friends, I'm not sure) works as a "mother's helper," which is sort of like an entry-level babysitter. It's for girls who are too young to be left alone with your kids, but who can watch your kids while you're elsewhere, getting your productivity on. When we came home, Princess Sparkley mentioned to my wife that she wants to be a mother's helper. My wife told her that might not work because we don't know any rich moms.
     PS was offended that my wife thought she was in it for the money. Apparently she just wants an excuse to play with younger children, and her brothers are busy shooting and cutting things. (Example: two days ago Little Guy acted out the Luke v. Darth lightsaber battle from the end of Return of the Jedi while narrating the entire thing for me. "Luke is looking out the window at a 'Tar Destroyer and his lightsaber is just a handle sitting next to the Emperor and then Luke turns and forces it into his hand and turns it on and they start battling, and the Emperor laughs, like this: 'Heh heh heh.'")
     A friend in our ward was interested in a mother's helper, so PS got her first customer. She started work yesterday.
     At dinner I asked her, "How was work?" (It's been a long time since there's been a need to ask anyone that question in our house.) She said it was good. My wife asked, "Did you have to carry [Baby]?" Princess Sparkley excitedly answered, "Yes!" My wife asked, "Did you have to carry [Toddler]?" PS answered, less excitedly, "Yes." My wife jokingly asked, "Did you have to carry [Four-Year-Old]?" PS answered, "Yes, she wanted me to carry her, too."
     Later, she casually mentioned that she would get paid later in the week. This was when it all made sense to Buddy, who is a capitalist pig at heart. He muttered to himself, "I need to get a job," and then was very embarrassed when he realized we'd all heard him.