The Five Hour Standoff with "Steve"

Most years, the family packs up and heads to Ohio for Thanksgiving. It is a solid six and a half to seven hour drive, which the kids handle like seasoned truckers. Noah has been doing these road trips since birth, so he considers himself something of a professional.

As I make my way to Ohio this year, I keep thinking about one particular trip from about four years ago. Shane and Riley were unable to join us, so I drove my parents, Noah, Ilyia, and Ziva. The girls were quietly living their best lives with their iPads and music. Noah, however, decided it was the perfect time to spice things up by calling his grandfather, whose official title is Granddaddy, by the deeply informal name of Steve.

While I attempted to keep a straight face, I informed Noah that he would not be allowed to watch a movie until he apologized, and called his grandfather by the correct name. This launched a five-hour standoff. Every so often Noah would announce, “I am sorry… Stephen,” and then burst into laughter like a man who had just delivered the joke of the century.

He never watched the movie. The stubbornness in this child is truly unceasing. He is a daily reminder that where there is a will, there is a way, especially if that way involves irritating Granddaddy.

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