false

Roo often says no, but usually not in defiance. Over the years, if one of the grandchildren were to say no in response to my request for action, I would likely remind him/her that "you don't say no" to Gaga or most other grown-ups - in a pleasant way, of course. And they usually then do what I have asked. Roo usually complies, sometimes begrudgingly. Buddy looks crushed to have been reprimanded.

So late Sunday afternoon, Roo, Buddy, and I were crowded into my laundry room, a closet, really. It is quite small. I was folding clothes, Buddy was rummaging through a stash of salad containers and boxes (I save them for him.) to find one that could serve as a lizard habitat, and I think Roo wandered in to be with everyone.

Because I had a little pile of Roo's clothes ready to pack, I handed them to her and asked her to take them to the living room and put them by her duffle bag. "No." I asked again. "No." Well, hmmmm. I don't usually let her get by with that, but I knew she was very tired and hungry. And I didn't want her to be grumpy for the last hour or so of her visit. We had had a grand time and I hated for it to end on a sour note. So I thought a few seconds then quietly said, "Roo, I am going to give you a pass on that today. I think you must have forgotten that when I ask you to do something, you need to do it. Next time you come to Gaga's I want you to remember that." I felt like I had caved, but maybe not totally. So Roo prissed out of the laundry closet. I kept folding clothes and Buddy kept plundering, at one point muttering in disgust, "This is just a one person room." In a few seconds Roo reappeared. "Actually I decided I wanted to take my clothes to the living room." I was amazed.