Brisky gets his way

We were driving back from Port Hardy and after we passed Sayward BC, I could hear Brisky and Trooper whispering to each other. Then they both looked up at me and Brisky said "My, you sure are a good driver, Grandpa!  We haven't had a single accident this whole trip"  "Thank you, Brisky", I replied. 

Then Trooper said, "You sure are a good fisherman, Grandpa!  Maybe even the best fisherman in the whole world!"  

"Better than Uncle Matthew?", I asked. 

There was a bit of a hesitation and he said "Yup, because you netted every single fish perfectly". 

There was a moment of silence and Brisky said "Grandpa, you're a really good cook, too. Maybe even the best cook in the whole world!"  "Better than Grandma?" I asked. There was a long pause and then they whispered to each other and Brisky said, "In some things you are. Like the halibut you cooked up and that breakfast with the eggs and hash browns".  

"Yes, I guess that was a good breakfast, wasn't it", I responded. 
 

Then Trooper joined in "And the surf and turf steak and salmon dinner and the grilled cheese sandwiches and the Blueberry pie, and the ..." 

"Okay, okay, I get it" I interrupted, "But I didn't make that blueberry pie. I bought it."   

Brisky responded with "But if you had baked it, I'll bet it would be even better that that one you bought and that one was pretty good!"

Something was going on. They don't normally give out compliments like this. "Come on guys, what's going on? You can't mean all this stuff." 

They both said "What are talking about?  Of course we mean it. You're the best!"

Then Trooper looked up at me and said, "You know, you look really handsome today. You have that rugged unshaven look like the movie stars. I think it really suits you."

"No it doesn't!" I said. "It makes me look like a bum". 

Brisky and Trooper laughed. Trooper said "That's not true. You look great. Let me take a photo of you and see for yourself".  "Pull over at the next road and I'll take a photo". 

"No way", I said. "We have to keep going so we don't miss the ferry."  

They looked at each other and I could see they had a worried, almost panicked look on their faces. Then Brisky said "Oh, look up ahead, there's a good place to pull over so I can take that photo".  Again I disagreed and said we had to keep going. 

Then Trooper yelped and said "I have to go to the bathroom NOW!  RIGHT NOW!"

I quickly pulled over just in time to be able to get into the little road or driveway of a cafe. Trooper took the camera and jumped out and said "Let's take that photo now" and Brisky jumped up onto my shoulder and said "Say cheese".  Trooper took a photo. 

"I thought you had to go to the bathroom, Trooper?"  "Not any more" he answered. "I think the fresh air has helped". "Oh look" Trooper asked, "Isn't that the place where we got our ice cream cone last time?"  

Suddenly, everything was becoming clear to me. They were softening me up to get another ice cream cone. The place where Trooper just HAD to go to the bathroom just happened to be Tammy's Cafe, home of the best ice cream cones on the planet. 

"Okay, guys. I see what you were up to now. You just wanted an ice cream cone, didn't you?"  They looked embarrassed and with the saddest eyes Trooper could produce, he said "Please?"  Brisky did the same but he didn't have as sad looking eyes as Trooper. "Pretty please". "Pretty, pretty please?"

Looking at those cute little creatures was too much for me. It reminded me of my own kids when they were little. I just couldn't resist. "Okay, but you'll have to share again". I tried to sound like I was in control but it was very clear that they got the best of me.  This time they looked at the menu and ordered a double scoop Rocky Mountain Raspberry and Espresso Flakes. 

I have to admit that I had a few licks of that delicious ice cream cone too!