Can't Buy Me Love (part 2 - by Margaret Ullrich)

    Yeah, right.  As if I didn’t know what that meant.  

    My parents had it down to a regular routine.  Pop knew that we children were his wife’s responsibility.  When he was being asked to give a second opinion on any child rearing matters, Pop knew he was expected to say "No".  A "Yes" answer from Pop was a definite no-no.  Ma knew that.  Pop knew that.  And I sure knew that.    

    Their ‘Ask your Pop’ routine had kept me from other forbidden American pleasures, such as peanut butter and bubble gum.  But this was important.  I had a plan.  

    Desperate for Nadia to straighten my hair and save me from spinsterhood by getting me married to George Harrison, I forged ahead.  “Uncle Des gave Nadia money for her ticket.  I’ll need-”

    Ma cut me short.  “We don’t have money to waste.”

    I went to plan B.  “Can I do some chores, earn some extra?”

    Ma looked at me as if I had beetles crawling on my head.  “You expect me to pay you for helping in your own home?  You saw those...  bugs on Ed Sullivan.  You don’t need to go.”

    Thinking that a lack of money was the actual problem, Liz tried to help.  “That reminds me...  If it’s alright with you, Annie...  We need to hire someone to type our bowling league’s scores.  We can pay Tina.”