Sunday, February 17, 2008

Hypothetical trauma

F: Mum, what do you think would be worse? If you fell onto the train tracks and hit your head BUT there were no trains coming for two hours ... OR ... If you were hit by a car but it didn't squash you?

Me: Well, which would hurt more? How badly would I be hit?

F: You wouldn't get hit AT ALL! The car would just sort of roll right OVER YOU.

Me: Oh. Well I guess I'd take the car.

F: Oh no, for me that's easy. It's THE TRAIN! I mean, there's no other one coming for TWO HOURS. So there's no way you'll get hit.

Me: Well, I thought, if you hit your head on the tracks, what if that knocks you unconscious and you're unconscious for the next two hours and then the train hits you anyway?

F pauses, thinking it over. 'I hadn't thought of THAT,' he says. 'You're right, I'd rather get hit by the car.'

4 comments:

Penni Russon said...

I'd take the train, because if you're unconscious I guess it would be a pretty painless death.

Though my foot was run over once and honestly it barely hurt. The car was going quite slowly. It was merely surprising.

Anonymous said...

Boychild went through a phase of that when he was 9 or so, it went on for a year:

"Mum: which would you rather. Have me, or Maggie gets killed?"

"I CAN"T ANSWER THAT!!!"

"Mum: which would you rather. Have me, and not Girlchild? Or. Have Girlchild, and not me."

(Note the sly attempt to make parent choose him over the other child.)

"Mum: which would you rather. Eat poo, or..."

You get the idea.

Anonymous said...

Hi! You have blog bling on my blog. I really enjoy reading this blog (how many more times can I use this word in the one comment??) I'd go back and edit it but the bell is about to go and I'm teaching next period. Anyway, pop over and bask in the love....

redcap said...

I'll take the car rolling over me. Great blog fodder ;)