Monty Python saves the day

This weekend I went with my children to the local Blockbuster video store. We were in a hurry and had to select our videos quickly. After choosing two films (one for family friendly viewing and the other for adult friendly viewing) we headed to the counter where we waited for the tectonic awareness of the three teenage boys to perceive that someone wanted to actually rent some movies. After a very slow transaction where my children had time to spy and ask for all manner of cheap plastic crap and candy, we were finally ready to leave the store. On the way out, in a swift guerrilla move that took me by surprise, the young pup produced two posters of Zac Efron from High School Musical and handed them directly to my children.

Although the girls have seen this movie at their friends’ house, I have yet to allow it in my home. And now that I think about it, that is pretty hyprocritical, given my love for Grease at their age (I could probably still sing all the songs). Be that as it may, I cannot get my head around having to listen to it. So a hypocrite, sadly, I must remain. But I digress.

Imagine the sick feeling I had, visualizing the blown up head of the pretty boy Efron plastered in the bedroom of my pre-tween daughters. It was almost too much to bear. But, although I would have dearly liked to put a blanket ban on all posters I deem tacky and horrible, I realise that that would only cause a horrible backlash, sort of like the elastic theory of plate tectonics. So, although we couldn’t ban the posters, we did encourage some vandalism when they got home. You know, in the form of some nicely placed sharpie moustaches and devil horns….

But as it turns out, we needn’t have worried. The first thing they did when they were buckled into their booster seats clutching their High School Musical posters was reenact this bit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail:

The beginning scene where the priests are hitting their heads with the paddle? Well, that was what my kids were doing, chant and all. Take that Zac Efron!
In fact, this morning, right before going to school, my oldest daughter was going around the house, hitting her head with her math book singing in a monotone chanting voice, “I need a holiday..”

Ahh. How I do love my kids. And, thanks to Monty Python, I think they might just turn out alright…