Too Little

Tony slid into the kitchen and across the linoleum in his socks, spinning dramatically before he reached the table with a flourish.

"Did you see that, Abuela? That was good, wasn't it?" His excitement was evident.

Maria set the dish she was holding onto the table and agreed, "Very good, bambino, you are a good skater- mucho talented. Now, come sit down to supper."

Jethro Gibbs, Tony's father, was already seated. He smiled at him, and at Tony's enthusiasm, but cautioned, "Son, I don't want you running in the house. You could run into something or fall and get hurt."

Tony looked shocked, and explained sincerely as he sat, "Dad, I wasn't running. I was skating, and I was really good. I wouldn't have had an accident."

His father shook his head at the sincere response and amended, "Ok, then, don't skate or run in the kitchen or in the rest of the house."

Tony plopped into his seat, but straightened up when Maria tapped his hand and motioned for him to start the blessing. Supper during the week was always shared by the three of them, but on the weekends Maria was off, so father and son ate together. Dinner time conversation commenced as they ate, and Tony put down his fork after a couple of minutes and addressed both adults.

"When am I going to be allowed to go to the ball park all by myself?"

Jethro finished chewing before he answered, "Not for some time, Tony."

Maria added, spooning buttery mashed potatoes on his dish, "You are still a bambino, just ocho anos."

Tony continued, his annoyance beginning to show, "I know I'm eight, Abuela, and since I am eight I am old enough now to go to the park by myself."

"You already go to the park by yourself, nieto," Maria pointed out.

Tony was irritated with the answer. "No, Abuela, not the park down the street- that's a baby park. I want to start going to the big park that has the real baseball field, Magnolia Park."

Jethro shook his head emphatically at the clarification. "That is out of the question. You are not old enough by any stretch of the imagination to ride your bike to Magnolia."

Tony contradicted, "Jared is eight and he gets to go there all by himself, all the way to Magnolia Park."

"Well, I'm not his dad," Jethro commented, leaning over to help Tony cut his ham.

Maria ladled more peas onto Tony's plate and added, "and I am not Jared's Abuela."

Tony was not pleased with the negative responses, and he scowled. He and his buddy Dylan had spent the afternoon discussing the fun they would have if they could go to Magnolia to play, rather than to their neighbourhood park. Tony's lip crept out into a pout and he responded with a whine, "I am big enough! It's only four blocks down there and you both know it."

His father looked up sharply and he spoke firmly. "That's true, but the four blocks include having to cross a major intersection, and you are not going to be doing that."

Establishing his displeasure, Tony slid his plate away angrily, and Maria chided immediately, "Stop right now, nieto. The park is not going to happen, and your anger is going to cause more problems. That is one, and you need to quit misbehaving before the counts of two and three and you get into more trouble."

Not in the mood to accept the advice, he shoved his chair back from the table with such force that the table shook and his plate tipped over on to the floor.

"That makes two, and three," his father ground out, and reaching over, he pulled Tony over to his own chair. Jethro had zero tolerance for behaviour like his son had just displayed at the table. "Look at me right now, Anthony!" Tony met his dad's gaze and some of his bravado dissolved. "Magnolia Park is a no go. I have said no, and Abuela has said no. Fussing and arguing about it is useless, and has now gotten you into trouble for being disrespectful to both Abuela and to me. Thanks to your little temper tantrum this evening, you are going to bed early tonight as a consequence. If there is any further disrespect or arguing, I am going to put you across my knee and give you a spanking . Clean up your plate and all the food that spilled, right now, and then go upstairs and take your bath. Your bedtime is in half an hour. Am I clear, young man?"

Tony's eyes filled with tears. Tonight was Magnum P.I. night, and he wouldn't get to watch. Knowing that talking back would not be wise, he nodded miserably instead, and Jethro let go of his arm and pointed towards the stairs.

Forty five minutes later Gibbs kissed Tony good night and cut off the lamp in his bedroom.