Rapper's Delight

Saturday early morning, Sonnet takes Madeleine to swimming practice in her black Lycras - tomorrow she will run the Windsor Half Marathon. I fire up my Blackberry and Eitan wanders into the bedroom: "Can I watch football highlights on Sky Sports?" he implores. I suggest he finish his homework since we have an hour before soccer practice and he leaves dejectedly. I find him a few moments later here, at the kitchen table, actually doing his homework. A small victory. I pour myself some cereal and we discuss last night's parents disco party at the school's Tim Bernard Lee hall - he is mortified when I show him a couple of my moves. The thought of adults dancing too much information. We then have a game of humming songs trying to identify the others and finally, I recall, he should be finishing his geometry.

Eitan wins a year-five talent show by singing "Rapper's Delight" which he has been practicing from the back seat of the car all summer.

Me: "Madeleine, let Eitan use your bike - he has a birthday party."

Madeleine: "No, dad. It is my bike."

Me: "Just this once -- he would really appreciate it."

Madeleine: "Listen to the title: 'My Bike.'"

Me: "Madeleine, it seems to me that if you share your bike with Eitan you might get something in return."

Madeleine:

Me: "What is something he has that you want?"

Madeleine: "I don't know .. "

Me: "How about chores?"

Madeleine: "You mean if I let him use my bike I have to do more chores?"

Me: "Well, what if you negotiated something with your brother. If you let him use the bike, see if he will do your chores."

Madeleine: "Two weeks. Of chores. That seems fair."

Me: "Whatever you can negotiate, sweetheart. It is your deal."

Madeleine: "Four weeks then."

Me:

Madeleine: "I am not giving him my bike."

Me: "Look, Madeleine, you have two choices. You can let Eitan use your bike and see if you can negotiate something with him. That's a win-win."

Madeleine: "Or?"

Me: "Eitan will use the bike and I will ask you to do his chores for not sharing. That would be a lose-lose ."

Madeleine: "Do you think he would do my chores for a month?"

Me: "Now you are talking game."

"i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop
the rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie
to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat

"now what you hear is not a test--i'm rappin to the beat
and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
see i am wonder mike and i like to say hello
to the black, to the white, the red, and the brown, the purple and yellow
but first i gotta bang bang the boogie to the boogie
say up jump the boogie to the bang bang boogie
let's rock, you dont stop
rock the riddle that will make your body rock
well so far youve heard my voice but i brought two friends along
and next on the mike is my man hank
come on, hank, sing that song "

-- Sugar Hill Gang, Rapper's Delight