Chapter 4: the Birthday party

A couple of days after he was able to sit comfortably again Neal was in the backyard drawing when he heard El call his name. "Neal would you come here for a moment, please?"

"What's up Mom?" he replied as he entered.

"Neal my close friend Margaret has just had a cancellation from the entertainment she has ordered for her grandson's birthday party and Elizabeth thought you could fill in," explained Marie Mitchell.

Neal turned a confused look to El and she hurried to explain further. "Margaret engaged a magician and he had to cancel due to sickness and she is distraught in finding someone at such short notice. I thought you could do some of your sleight of hand and card tricks to entertain the kids. You know how good you are with kids," she added as to persuade him further.

"Sure I'll do it...it should be fun," Neal replied with a grin. He was willing to do anything to get out of the dog house with the family after his disobedience when fishing a few days earlier. "I'll even bring my sketch book and do some quick sketches of the kids," he offered.

Before he left El pulled him aside and whispered in his ear, "Neal I want you to have a good time and entertain the children but under no circumstances are you to teach them how to pick pockets. I know how they would enjoy seeing you do it but don't even think of adding that to your act! Do you understand me, son? I'm sure you know the outcome if you decide to ignore me?"

Neal nodded, annoyed that she had taken away one of the things he had planned on doing. He had already decided to have the birthday boy help him but now he would have to do something else.

El kissed him on the cheek and sent him on his way, assured that he wouldn't get himself in trouble this time.

Neal was a huge success with the kids. He did several sleight of hand and card tricks and still the kids had begged for more. His downfall came when he ignored his Mom's orders about showing them how to pick pockets. His philosophy about what Mom didn't know wouldn't hurt him came to an immediate end when later that night, Marie and Alan got several calls about the "tricks" that the substitute magician taught their kids…picking each other's pockets was not acceptable behavior and they were complaining.

"Elizabeth," Alan called from downstairs, "can I talk with you and Peter for a minute or two."

Peter and El were in the process of getting ready for bed when Alan called but they hurried downstairs to find out what he wanted. Neal was engrossed with tying flies that the call didn't even register with him.

As soon as Peter and El walked into the room they knew something was wrong and in spite of himself Peter asked, "What has Neal done wrong now?"

At the birthday party this afternoon he taught some of the boys how to pick pockets," replied Marie regretfully.

"He what!" cried Peter.

"My friend Margaret's little grandson was having a birthday party and the magician that was hired cancelled due to illness and El thought that Neal could do some of his card tricks and sleight of hand tricks to entertain them," explained Marie.

Peter turned to El with a raised eyebrow and El picked up the story. "I told him under no circumstances was he to show them how to pickpockets and he told me he wouldn't…but I guess the card tricks weren't enough and he added to the act."

Peter turned to his in-laws and apologized, "Alan, Marie I'm so sorry…he will be punished for this," and started for the stairs only to be stopped by Alan who said,

"My turn…I think a good switching should explain why he shouldn't disobey a direct order." He headed towards the door only to stop when he heard cries from above and noticed for the first time that El was missing from the room.

"Well, he did disobey his mother…I guess El feels that the punishment should come from her," replied Peter as he turned to his mother-in-law,

"What did she take?"

"My old fashioned spatula; the twin to the one I gave Elizabeth," replied Marie.

Upstairs in Neal's room he was bent over El's old school desk getting his rump tenderized as she brought the spatula down again and again on his rapidly redden backside. Once she had painted his bare backside and sit spots a fiery red she backed away and allowed him some privacy to pull his sleep pants back up before gathering him into her arms and holding him as he cried out his disappointment at displeasing this woman who meant so much to him. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"I know you are now, son but you have think before it gets to this part…can you do that for me sweetie?" she asked and felt him nod. "So I guess the kids wanted more and you had nothing else to give them?" she asked and he nodded.

"So you thought, what's the harm in showing them the finer points of picking pockets; you even told them not to tell, didn't you?" Again Neal nodded but also added,

"Is Dad rubbing off on you? He reads my mind at times."

"We just know how kids act…don't forget we all were kids at one time and some of us remember. Neal you should have realized that by telling a child not to tell or try something that's going to be the first thing they do," explained El as her son's tears came to an end.

"I think you need to go to bed now and when you wake this will be all behind you and you can start the day fresh," El suggested lovingly.

Neal nodded but before getting into bed he kissed El on the cheek, "I love you Mom…thanks for putting up with me. Please tell grandpa and grandma I'm sorry for this and I will try and think before I act."

"I will son," replied El as she watched him gingerly get into bed and immediately on to his stomach…then she went and kissed him goodnight and left.

A few minutes later Peter, Marie and Alan all came up to wish him a good night and the household settled down for bed.