overlooking things

On the rare occasion when I somehow manage to overlook something I probably shouldn’t be complaining about in the first place, my eagle-eyed sidekick Maya will inevitably catch it.

And her most recent topic of choice to nitpick was Ali’s purchase of a pair of headphones.

A few pictures from the last week: Maya and I had dessert at Chelsea Market. Or she had dessert and I watched.

So Ali is not a big spender.

I obviously comment incessantly on his addiction to buying things that require charging, but in reality? His annual spending on things that plug-in probably amounts to less than what I spend on Method cleaning products (so addicted to Method).

Also, now that we are car-less and don’t have to spend money fixing his car every ten second? I know I can’t really fault him.

Maya, however, didn’t get the memo and/or didn’t care.

We caught a pretty sunset in Chelsea.

Maya: “Mama, did you know that dad spent $200 on his new earphones? That a lot.”

Me: “That really is a lot. The sound must be really good though. Let me listen.”

Maya: “It’s not any different from my Hello Kitty earphones.”

Me: “You’re right. It’s not really that good.”

Maya: “Dad, me and Mom think your earphones aren’t really that good. You spent a lot of money for no reason.”

We found a heart-shaped potato!

Obviously Maya should have minded her own business here and I probably should have said so. But honestly, I’m just tired of being the bad guy all the time. So I figured I’d let Ali field this one.

He looked up from his laptop, made no comment, and then looked back down at his laptop.

This is often what happens when he knows that I/we are right (which is always) and secretly agrees with us but doesn’t want to verbalize the agreement in case it’s used against him in a future argument.

Which it will be anyway.

We had lunch at Le Pain Quotidien.

But we all play the game, right?

Only the next time Maya and I decide to pick on something, Ali has the option of putting on his average sounding, overpriced earphones so he doesn’t have to hear us rambling on.

So maybe, in his mind, they’re worth $200 after all.