Peas and Qs

“Let’s turn TV off and sit around the fire,” I said to our grandchildren.

Gerlinde, their Grandma, said, “That’s a great idea. I’ve made some hot chocolate and we can turn the lights off and enjoy the warm glow of the burning logs.”

“Yes, let’s do that,” our Grandchildren called out.

“I’ve got a puzzle for you to solve,” I said. “When I was a little boy, my mother would say to me: ‘Neil, watch your peas and Qs’. What do you think she meant?”

One of our grandchildren said, “Well, Grandpa, I know what peas are. We boil them up and eat them. So she meant you must make sure the peas don’t boil dry and spoil.”

“That’s a great answer…but…I’m afraid it’s not right! But it’s a good answer and has a lot of truth in it,” I smiled.

“I know the answer, Grandpa,” said another grandchild. “I think ‘Watch your peas’ means ‘watch them grow and feed them with water’”.

“That’s also a good answer with some good truth in it,” I said. “But it’s not the right answer. Please all keep trying.”

Gerlinde, their Grandma, went to the kitchen and got some peanut butter cookies and we all munched on them while we looked at the logs burning.

“Well, I’ll have a go at ‘Watch your Qs,” said another grandchild. “I think it means you must’nt push other people away, you should queue up politely and wait your turn.”

“That’s another great answer. You’ve all given me some very good answers, I’m very proud of you,” I said.

“So am I,” smiled Grandma.

“Grandpa, you’ve got to tell us the answer now,” they all shouted.

So I smiled and said,“ You see, ‘Watch your peas’ should be pronounced ‘Watch your please’. And ‘Q’s’ means ‘Thank You”. Thank you sounds like ‘Q’ “

“So my mother was saying to me, ‘Neil always say ‘please and thank you,’” I said.

Everyone laughed!

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How very important it is to say “please” and “thank you”.