Take those earphones out

One night at a restaurant, I noticed this kid eating dinner with his family. Everyone seems to be enjoying each other's company except one person--the self-exiled kid. Why? Because he has one side of his earphones in, and he's listening to his iPod.

(From the mind of the self-exiled kid)

"Dude, why did mom have to bring me here? She knows I don't wanna be here eating at this stupid restaurant eating dinner with stupid Aunty Carlene and Uncle Ronald, and grandpa and grandma. I asked her to sleep at Andrew's house, so we can start playing the new Sims 3 Pets, Limited Edition with Solomon and Warren, but do you think she let's me go? NO!

"So you know what, I'm still cool, she's not. I see her staring at me with disgust, but I don't care, I'm not taking this earphone out of my ear. She's lucky I have the decency to leave one earphone out of my ear. Aww yes, Beyonce's "Run the World" just came on my shuffle! Lucky I don't just stand up on this table and do some dirty dancing like I do when no one's at home!"

There is also the kid who rides in the car with his family listening to his iPod while everyone else is listening to the stereo, who is the only player listening to his iPod during pre-game warmups while his teammates get pumped up to the stereo in the gym together, who runs alongside his girlfriend who doesn't have her iPod but insists that he can only run with music in his ears but also agrees to leave one side out but still doesn't listen to a word she says.

There's a time and a place to listen to your iPod, and there is a time and a place to take your earphones out and talk stories with all your peeps. You be the judge when the time is right, and if you don't kids, I won't hesitate to slap yo' head.

Flushing the toilet,

Loa