McDonald's

[kid Z] Dad, where are we going to eat lunch?

[kid A] e-i-o

[me] I don't know.

[Z] Dad, where are we going to eat lunch? A wants to go to McDonald's.

[A] e-i-o e-i-o

[me] Yeah, I know.

[A] e-i-o e-i-o

[me] Okay.

[Z] Yea!

[A] Yea!

[Z] Yea!

[A] Yea!

[me] Okay already. Get your shoes on. Let's go.

Today wasn't quite the norm. It turns out that Wednesday is cheap Happy Meal day at our local McD's. The place was packed. The girls were good. They ate their food, got their My Little Pony's, and headed off to do battle in the playland.

It was the standard playland battle. Mission -- unknown. Teams -- standard (boys vs girls). Rules -- take no prisoners.

The girls had numbers... but the boys were fast and constantly on the move. A's first attempt to enter a tube was quickly denied by a cunning cross-action move by two of the boys. She fell flat on her butt and started crying. Z timed it a little better and made it into the tubes where she quickly teamed up with a girl from her ballet class. A sat on my lap and we watched as the battle continued.

The girls congregate. They talk, jump, play games. The boys prowl... faces stained with ketchup and chocolate milk... remnants of a previous kill. The boys attack. The girls shreik and run. Then it all starts again.

I'm torn. Being dad and all, I should be an advocate for the girls. But deep inside... I know the boys are right.