Everyone Loves the Blues Brothers

Claire, circa 2007

This incident happened several years ago, and I'm not sure how I failed to document it before now.  Don and I had been having a spirited discussion about whether the girls (then aged 6, 4, and 2) could watch The Blues Brothers.  I was an adamant "no" - for the obvious reasons:  too much violence, sex, profanity, and all-around bad behavior.  (And the last thing we need around 9 Park Lane is more profanity or more sex talk.)  Don's entire opposing argument was that The Blues Brothers is "the best American musical ever" and "is full of absolutely classic blues music and performers."  I was not persuaded.

I went out of town for a rare weekend away.  When I called home after being gone for approximately 12 hours, Claire answered the phone.

Claire: "Hello?"
Me: "Hi, Claire. It's Mommy."
Claire: "Hi Mommy. We're watching the Blues Brothers."
Me: "What?! Where is Daddy?"
Claire: "He was watching it with us, but he went upstairs."
Me: "Could you get him, please?"
Claire: "Okay.  Dad? Mom wants to talk to you."
Me: [waiting]
Claire: "I think I have to go upstairs to get him."
Me: "Okay."
Claire:  "Daddy?  Mom is on the phone."
Me: [waiting]
Claire: "Dad?"
Me: [waiting]
Claire: "He isn't answering me."
Me: [waiting]
Claire: "Dad?  Mommy is on the phone.  Where the hell are you??"