Floods & Betrayal

Last night the Sacramento Valley had to endure the worst storm of the season. Levees burst, flooding the highways. Creeks and rivers overflowed, placing homes under several feet of unclean water. The wiers were opened, so that the swollen waters of the Sacramento River could fill the Yolo flood plain, and ease the already burdened banks.

Amidst this time of deluge and calamity, I have a darker event to report. It was something my wife did. She broke one of our most important vows. She cast aside our parenting ethos for an expediency. She let our girls watch the Teletubbies. Oh, she has her excuses. She even says that the girls liked the Teletubbies - as if that is supposed to make me feel better! Annie was going to keep this secret from me, but Genna revealed it last night.

On the way home from my folks house, Genna began hiding her eyes behind her hands, then pulling them aside and saying, "Boo-hoo!" I didn't know what this was, but Annie's deceit had been revealed. Shame-faced, she related to me that earlier in the day, while snuggling with the girls on the couch, she had flipped on the TV to give them all something to watch. She had stumbled across the Teletubbies. Instead of switching the station immediately, she let it stay.

I was horrified. I cannot say exactly what it is about Teletubbies that so frightens me. Perhaps it is the singsong cadence, the pyschedelic colors, the androgynous characters, or the surreal songs. Perhaps it is all of that, and more. Whatever the case, it has always been understood between us that the Teletubbies - and Barney - would be forbidden from entering our house. Now our home has been defiled.

Annie has sworn never to let it happen again. But the damage has been done. Pray for us.