The Thinker

Chapter 1

"Mummy! Maaaah-Meeeee!" cried Beezy.

"Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" bawled Milly.

"Mummy, I can't find my kindy uniform!" yelled Beebo.

Poor Mummy Biddy! There was just so much to do. Make breakfast. Feed and change and bathe Milly. Send Beezy and Milly to Mrs Pooper's house. Get into her bus to fetch all the kindy kids and send them to kindy. Rush back home, cook lunch, send lunch to Daddy Melville. Get back in her bus, fetch Beebo and the other children from kindy and return them all to their homes. Rush back home, fetch Beezy and Milly from Mrs Pooper's, feed the children, change Milly, put Milly to sleep, prepare dinner.

Well, it was just such a full day, wasn't it?

Mummy Biddy was such a grouch all week, until the weekend came. Then she'd spend time alone in the garden or in her room reading a book.

That was also Beebo's favourite time of the week, cause that's when he and Daddy Melville spent some quality "man time." What did they do? Why they cooked and baked, of course.

Chapter 2

One day Mummy was very sad. She was driving Beebo, Peeper, Weirdo and Weirdel home when the Strange children started teasing Beebo.

"Your mummy is a bus driver! She doesn't have a real job! And she doesn't even drive well!" said Weirdo.

"Hyah! Hyah! Ha! Ha! Ha! Your mummy will never drive as well as my daddy!" said Weirdel.

Beebo just sat there at first. Then his face turned red. And at last he burst out: "That's because my mummy has better work to do. She cooks and cleans. That's a woman's job, you know?!"

Mummy Biddy became very sad after hearing what Beebo said. For the rest of the week she was very quiet.

Chapter 3

Monday morning, Mummy stopped driving the school bus. Mrs Dour came to fetch Beebo. He wondered what was going on. And why was Mummy all dressed up? She looked very pretty that day.

Beebo didn't have time to ask Mummy. When he came home, Mummy wasn't there. It was just Beezy, Milly and Mrs Pooper.

That evening, Mummy and Daddy came home together! And they brought back dinner from Mr Delili's shop.

After dinner, Mummy made an announcement.

"I've been working part-time since Beebo was born. But now I've decided to go back to work at the magazine where I used to work."

"But Mummy," said Beebo. "Who's going to make lunch? And take care of Milly? And clean the house?"

"URP!" went Milly.

Beezy blinked and looked at Daddy.

Daddy didn't look pleased.

"Beebo, Beezy, Milly, I want you to know that your Mummy is not your maid," said Daddy. "Any work that is to be done can be shared by all of us. We can all start doing little chores around the house."

"But," interrupted Beebo, "a woman's place is in the house."

Now Daddy was really angry. His face crumpled up and turned a bright red. Mummy just sat there looking at her hands.

"A woman's place is wherever she wants it to be, young man!" said Mummy.

Beebo started crying. He didn't understand why everyone was so angry with him.

"Beebo," said Mummy. "Don't cry. Listen to me. Is there anything that you think Mummy cannot do?"

"No."

"Is there anything that you think Daddy cannot do?"

"No."

"Can Mummy work?"

"Yes."

"Can Daddy work?"

"Yes."

"Can Mummy cook, clean the house and take care of all of you?"

"Yes."

"And can Daddy do all these things?"

"Yes."

"So why do you say that Mummy's place is in the home, and not Daddy's?"

"I heard someone say so in Kindy School."

"Don't believe and repeat everything you hear, Beebo. A lot of people say things based on fear of things they don't know -- of women, of commitments, of the unknown. You have to learn to think for yourself. You're a big boy. You have to learn to think before you speak. Men and women can do anything they want. If Daddy wanted to stay at home and take care of the house and the housework he could. And if Mummy decides she wants to work, that's fine too. We must not say that only men can work and only women can take care of the home. Because it is not true.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mummy. I'm sorry Mummy."

Mummy Biddy gave Beebo a hug.

Chapter 4

The next day at school, Weirdo told Beebo: "Miss Sour Dour is a witch!"

Beebo remembered what Mummy told him. He said: "You're just saying that because you're afraid of the unknown!"

The Strange child just walked away and went to play with some other children.

Beebo smiled. He knew better than to speak before he thought.