mi casa es sou casa

My parents sit on my sofa, flicking through the newspaper and eating crisps. I sit in the chair opposite inhaling a gin and tonic and wondering aloud how I managed to survive 18 years submerged in the conversational ping-pong of family life. Every decision run through three (or four) people: mis-heard, debated, re-hashed, re-run. Life is so much more simple when one only has to argue with oneself.

Mum: "Here's that Tom-Tom..."
Dad: "What's that?"
Mum: "The expensive one, that he had."
Dad: "Nat Sav?"
Me: "Sat Nav...."

Pinteresque pause

Mum: "Satsuma."

They've gone now. It's very quiet.