hover craft

So I was preoccupied.

(World, who?)

My boy was sick, and lonely and begged me mercilessly to play Lego Indiana Jones forever and ever amen, until I gave in to his Vidiot* ways while the rest of the nation worried and wondered about a boy in a balloon.

Now by the time I had tuned in, said little boy - and I am loathe to give them any more publicity on my meek little media machine - had been 'found' and all was well or so it seemed.

I have to say I found the whole story to be suspicious because I watch enough NatGeo/Science/Nerdilicious-ness channels with my hubby to question whether that homemade balloon and basket combo could hold a boy.

Or maybe I was incredulous because I am pretty sure that if a Mylar balloon could be transformed into a functioning hover craft, my kids would fulfill their Up fantasies and they would be on your favorite cable channel right now, floating over Disneyland.

I'm just saying.

My gut feeling grew while we watched the family interviewed, not by Larry King, but by my girls on GMA. I was gazing at my laptop, typing away (pretend to be surprised) when I heard what can only be described as puking sounds on TV. Let's face it: Any mother worth her weight in diapers can recognize that distinctive heaving cough.

I watched, disgusted, as the little boy wondered off camera - alone - to vomit while his parents continued to make goo-goo eyes at the camera. Until one of the anchors suggested they check on their sick child.

I knew right there that something was wrong with this story, wrong with these people.

And I hated the way they had exploited their children and foiled a kind nation just to taste a little more limelight.

*Vidiot = VideoGames/Idiot. It's a term of endearment for my gaming offspring, coined by my Dad, after Wii marathons at his house. Or an insult, when on Lexi's lips.
**Does anyone else use this term or is it this family specific?

Comments

My hover craft is full of eels.
That's what your title made me think about - Monty Python's funny sketch.

In this case, like you, I sensed the hover craft story had some snakes in it. As in snake oil, what the parents were selling; snakes that lie and deceive. Oddly, I got the same hit on the Diane Downs and Susan Smith stories years ago. Happily, in this case, the child hadn't been killed by crazy parents, just exploited by media whore parents.
Pamela said…
Can you even believe that?? I can't tell you how overly disgusted I am with them and their willingness to ABUSE their children for their own self righteousness! I am so angry at them for messing with my and everyone else's emotions over this. I hope that the children are cared and counseled for and that the parents learn a well deserved lesson. Cannot believe that they let this go on at their own child's expense... really??
Madge said…
There are so many things about that story that made me sad. I don't understand exploiting you children to fulfill your need for attention.....
Stu said…
I try to ignore my kids when they are barfing...
Yet you have cleaned up after my puking girl. (Both my bff and my little girl.) Weird.
Shana said…
Thank God my parents had the good sense to keep our giant homemade helium balloons safely tethered at all times!
Shana said…
Also, your preoccupation reminds me of the day that I had to google Octomom because I heard it on the radio and thought someone had given birth to an eight-armed baby.
brandy101 said…
Ugh, I had to scrubdown a bathroom covered in kid barf a few weeks ago.

As much as it was nauseating,somehow I felt like a good mom for doing it while the ill child sipped some water and sat down to relax.
Clear case of EDD - Empathy Deficit Disorder.

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