PROCRASTINATION

“Hey, Alex!” I called to my son. “Do you want me to make a cake?”

“Sure!” Alex came into the living room where I was sitting on the couch with my laptop. “Trying to get out of work again?” he asked as he laughed.

“You know me so well.” I smiled as I moved the computer on the couch and went into the kitchen to preheat the oven.

Alex followed me into the kitchen. “I love when you don't want to work.” He handed me a mixing bowl.

I had to laugh as I got the cake mix out. “I know you do.”

“Last week you washed all the windows, which was nice, but I think I'm liking the cake procrastination better.” he leaned against the counter while I made the batter.

“Yeah, I think I like this one better too.” I put the cake in the oven and set the timer on my watch. “Okay, I have about a half an hour before the timer goes off.” I looked over at Alex. “I guess it's time for me to get some work done.” I went back to the couch and picked up my laptop. “Okay, here goes.” I sighed.

Alex sat next to me and picked up the remote for the television. “Is it going to bother you if I watch some TV.?”

“Oh, not at all!” I said a little too quickly.

Alex looked over at me and raised his eyebrows. “Maybe I should watch it in another room, so you can work in peace.”

“No, no, no...” I motioned for him to sit back down. “What I have to do doesn't really need my full attention.”

“It doesn't?”

“Nope.” I sat up straighter. “So what do you want to watch?”

“Wait, this is just another way for you to put off getting your work done, isn't it?”

I tried to look innocent “Of course not. I told you I can do both.”

Alex turned on the television. “All right, but if I don't see your hands moving on that keyboard I'm turning off the television.”

I had to laugh. “Okay, now you're starting to sound like my Dad.”

“I'm serious!” he began scrolling through the menu until he reached Discovery Channel.

“Oh...Ultimate Homes! I love this one!” I cried. “Looking at homes I'll never be able to afford, built in gorgeous areas I'll never see! Perfect!”

Alex laughed as clicked on to the show.

We'd only been watching a few minutes when Alex cleared his throat. “I'm not hearing your fingers clicking on your keyboard.” he reminded me.

“Fine.” I went back to my laptop and began scrolling through the work I'd already finished. I began tapping away at the keys but secretly peeking over at the TV to see the next magnificent home they were showing.

Alex looked over at me. “Are you really typing something or are you just pretending?”

“What? Are you kidding?” I began erasing the nonsense words I'd been typing before he asked to see the screen.

That's when the timer went off. “Oh the cakes ready!” I jumped up to get it.

When I came back into the living room I was carrying my sneakers. “Do you want to go for a walk? It's beautiful out!”

Alex just laughed. “You really don't want to work, do you?”

“Nope, not right now.” I sat down to put on my sneakers. “But I swear I'll start as soon as we get back!”

“No you won't.” He'd gotten up to get his sneakers.

I looked up at him and smiled as he walked by. “You're probably right.”