Not Having Fun

030

"Mums going into the comic shop with you tomorrow, alright Chris?"

Chris has been going to the stupid comic book shop for three whole weeks! How many comics can you buy?! Their milkshakes are amazing though!

"Eh? How come?"

I smile at Dad. "Max and I are going to the climbing centre, aren't we mate?"

"Yeah!"

We go there on the bus. I like buses a lot. People should only use them. Nobody needs to drive! People who drive are just lazy.

The man running it is really nice to Dad and I. He offers us the little kids wall but I say no!

"I want the big kid wall!"

"I don't think so, Max," Dad looks down at me. He doesn't think I can do it! I'll prove him wrong.

"The big wall!"

"Alright,"

They get me kitted up in the weird climbing thingy. It's called a harness. I start to climb up the wall. The man said to imagine a floor right under me if I feel scared. I look down. I'm scared!

"D-Dad I want down!"

"You're only five feet up Max. You can do it,"

He says. But what does he know?! I try to climb up one more time little bit but I can't. It's too high!

"Get me down, I want down!"

"Ugh, alright. Can you get him down please?" Dad asks the man.

"Okay then," he picks me off the wall while I cling on for dear life! He puts me on the ground.

"I knew you shouldn't have gone on that wall. Lets go to the other one,"

But there are other kids my age on this wall! I want to try again. I'll be brave this time. "I want to try this wall again!"

"Max, I'm not paying again for you just to want to come back down right away. We're trying the other wall,"

I hate my dad! He's just being mean to me on purpose! "No! I want to go on this wall!"

"Max!" He shouts and I look up at him. The man has gone to help someone else. Does he think I'm bad because I'm in trouble? I hate getting in trouble in front of other people.

"I want to go on that wall! I can do it!"

"We can try again next time,"

I stand my ground like Chris does. I stank my foot and fold my arms.  That way he knows I'm serious! "I'm not going on the baby wall!"

"Alright then," Dad picks me up. He walks by the harness man. "We're leaving. I'm sorry about that,"

No, I don't want to leave! I want to go on the big kid wall!

"No, take me back!" I start hurting his back as he holds me over his shoulder. "NO!"

"You have five second..." Dad warns me. "Stop this tantrum this instant! We'll go to the clothes shop and try the rock wall another week,"

"No, I want to now!"

"Stop being so silly!"

"NO! I want to go back I want to go back I want to go back...!"

"Alright then Max," Dad changes direction. Are we going back?" Brilliant, I knew I was in charge this whole time!

But we aren't going back, just to the stupid bathroom. Dad asks the person where the family bathroom is. Oh no! I hate going to the family bathroom.

When we get there, Dad sits down on the bench. "I wanted to have a nice day, just the two of us. Bur if you're going to be naughty, we just won't do outings like this. I won't be taking you anywhere until you can learn to behave!"

I look down and start crying.

"Come here," I walk over to him. I don't want to be left at home all alone. I'll show Dad that I can be good in public! He'll want to take me everywhere. But first... I know he's going to smack me.

"Come on," he taps his knees. "Over you go,"

He starts smacking me.

SMACK SMACK SMACK

"Ow, stop Dad!"

SMACK SMACK SMACK

I start crying so much that I can't see. It just looks like a big blurry white blob.

"You don't just throw tantrums because you don't get what you want!"

SMACK SMACK SMACK

It hurts so much! "Owie!"

"Don't let this happen again!" SMACK!

"Or I really won't be bringing you out with us again!"

He smacks my bum really hard one last time before he stands me up.

"O-Ouch... I'm s-sorry Dad..."

He pulls up my trousers and pants. He checks his watch.

"We've got a few hours till your Mum and Chris expect us to go home with them. We can go around the shops and see things. Are you going to behave?"

I reach around and rub my bum. It just hurts so much!

"Well?"

I don't want to! But I don't want to get in more trouble. "Y-Yes Dad..."

"Do you promise to behave?"

"Yes..." I dry my tears on my sleeve. Dad holds out a tissue to wipe my nose. That makes me feel better but the pain in my bum is still stinging. He grabs my hand and leads me out the bathroom. I can feel the people in the shop's eyes on me. They all know I've been naughty!

This is too much walking! My bum hurts! And my feet. But Dad drags me around the shops. At least he gets me a toy to make up for it. It's reversible! It has a happy face and then you turn it around and it has an angry face. We get other things too.

On the bus back, Dad tells me "I have a deal for you,"

"Okay!"

"If you use this toy to tell me when you're angry instead of screaming, I promise to listen to you and not get angry. I'll tell Mum about this too. Deal?"

"Does- Does that mean I won't get smacked?"

"If you use this and don't scream, have a tantrum or talk back,"

"Yeah, deal!" I'd be stupid not to take that deal. I think Chris would be proud.

"Where are you boys going next week?" Mum asks us.

"The climbing place," Dad tells her. "But you're taking him this time,"

He smiles down at me and ruffles my hair. "And you can try the big kid wall again. Right Max?"

"No," I shake my head. "That's too scary. I want to go on the little wall,"

"Ugh," Dad rolls his eyes. "All that silliness and crying for nothing, then,"

I look at Chris. "What did you do in the dork basement?" That's what Chris calls it, even though he goes there.

"Nothin' much," he shrugs.

"Well, it certainly keeps you out of mischief on a Saturday," Dad explains. That makes Chris' face turn red like he's angry.

I really nope he doesn't by angry at me all night! Dad was angry enough at me for one day, I don't need Chris doing it too.