Houston: We Have a Malicious Pee-er

A first tonight at the Gallizzi household. Malicious Peeing:

Stage: We had friends in from New Orleans this past weekend and we had a great time while they were here with their two boys. They slept in Antonio's bed and Antonio and Angelo "camped out" on the floor of Angelo's room on top of a sleeping bag that I'm certain hadn't been used since the Clinton administration (this is probably as close as my children will ever get to "roughing it.")  This morning Antonio helped strip the bed and wash the sheets and comforter. After school he helped Misty put them back on the bed.

The Act: Antonio came downstairs naked and said that someone had peed on his bed. I dashed upstairs to find that he was correct. Through my astute powers of deduction I surmised that it had to be my oldest son since the other one was downstairs and fully clothed. Antonio let loose on his own bed soaking about a 2 1/2 foot long 4 inch wide strip from the middle of his bed to the floor. I called Misty upstairs and she had a hard time initially containing her laughter and then her crying. Perhaps Antonio felt that his personal space had been violated and in animal like fashion decided to mark his territory.

His Response: "I didn't do it, it was Angelo."  

My Response: I calmly reminded him that liars are punished worse once they are found out. He quickly reversed course, admitted to it and avoided a spanking. (During the Olympics we recounted the story of Marion Jones to Antonio so he knows full well what happens to people when they do something wrong and then lie about it. I don't think he will ever forget this lesson.)

The Punishment: He was made to strip the bed of the pee-soaked comforter and sheets, walk them downstairs, put them into the washing machine, start a load of laundry, and then put new sheets on the bed. After which he went immediately to bed. The worst part was we let Angelo stay up late, which might be the thing that pissed him off (pun intended) worse than anything.

The Ultimatum: We let Antonio know in no uncertain terms that if it ever happened again that we would throw away his cowboy boots, hat and really anything else we can get our hands on.

All in all I think Misty and I held our composure fairly well. Honestly, this is something we were unprepared for but as parents when you stop experiencing new things you are either tending an empty nest or singing in the choir of angels.