“Mum! Claire keeps saying rude words!” Ethel said.

“I don’t!” Claire said.

“You do!” Tina said.

“Well, yes, I do! But I don’t care!” Claire said. “All I said was that Tina’s stupid car game was a load of old crap.”

“Claire you shouldn’t say things like that,” Agnes said. “You know Tina likes that car game.”

“Actually, it is kind of rubbish,” Tina said.

“We don’t even know what we’re doing most of the time,” Ethel said.

“Oh,” Agnes said. “So why are you upset with Claire then.”

“Cause she said…” Tina said. “She said that rude word Mum!”

“Daniel might have heard!” Ethel said.

“I was an aeroplane,” Daniel said. “And then I was the dolls’ best friend.” He looked at the cat to make sure she wasn’t jealous. “And then I was a spaceship.”

“See?” Claire said. “Spaceship’s don’t get upset by rude words.”

“Not even intelligent spaceships,” Daniel said, nodding sagely.

“Well, I’m glad this has all been sorted out,” Agnes said. “Also I didn’t even realise crap was a rude word.”

“Mum!” Tina and Ethel gasped, utterly shocked, as Daniel ran from the room screaming.

__________

Notes:

1. Written on July 28th, 2023

“This game is rubbish!” Claire said, kicking the board up in the air and scattering toy cars everywhere. “It’s complete CRAP!”

“Claire!” Tina and Ethel exclaimed. “You can’t say that!”

“I can!” Claire said. “And I did!”

“But it’s…. it’s rude!”

“Really rude!”

“I don’t care!” Claire said. “And you shouldn’t either!”

“But we do!”

“What if Daniel hears!”

“You know how upset he gets about rude words!”

“And rude people!”

“And rudeness in general.”

“Well, maybe Daniel should just shut up!” Claire said.

Daniel came running into the room, arms outstretched, pretending to be an aeroplane. Then he flew back out of the room and up the stairs to play with the dolls, who didn’t swear at all, not even when talking about the witch.

__________

Notes:

1. Written on July 28th, 2023