Slice of Life- The Missing Fireplace Remote

 

On Tuesdays, Two Writing Teachers hosts the Slice of Life. Everyone is welcome to share writing and comment on others in this special community. 

We finished playing a competitive game of spades last night, and all four of us were ready to head for bed. The game had taken long since Garth and Larkin failed to cover their final bet, and Clare and I took too many bags.... stories for another time. 

"Where's the fireplace remote?" Garth asked. 

"Clare turned it on," Larkin was quick to respond. 

"I've only been in this one area," Clare said. 

The four of us looked around. No remote. 

The four of us looked under sofa pillows. No remote. 

The four of us looked under the sofa. No. Remote. 

"Where else did you go?" Garth asked. 

Clare's response was a little snappy. 

Larkin and Clare systematically removed the cushions of the sofa. At least I had recently vacuumed under there so I didn't have to cringe at all the dirt, dog hair, and other debris that makes its way under those cushions. 

But still no remote. 

Garth and Clare were both snappy at this point. 

"Can't you just turn it off by hand?" Clare asked. 

"I would have done that by now," Garth said. 

Larkin and I both cracked up when she commented on how she knew exactly what to do in order to make this family neurotic. (Readers are welcome to try a hide-the-remote game in their house and report back on how it goes...)

On the remote (pun intended) chance that Clare had gone upstairs between the lighting and losing process, I headed upstairs to continue a house scan. My search was interrupted by victory screams downstairs. 

The remote was located in the games cabinet since Larkin had put away the pile of games that had been out, balancing them so carefully that the remote stayed right on top of the pile. 

Out went the fire, and up we all went to beds. 

And yes, I know exactly how to prank this family!