Will Work for Food

I made meatloaf for dinner the other night. I knew Things 1 and 2 liked meatloaf, and I assumed Thing 3 did.

I texted Thing 1 to tell her and her husband to come for dinner, but she was already home and cooking, so they couldn't come.

Thing 2 was at work, so I texted her and told her there was meatloaf and mashed potatoes in the fridge for when she got home. She was thrilled! After she ate it, she came up to my room to tell me it was the best thing she's eaten in a long, long time.

Thing 3 said he did not like meatloaf. I told him to taste it. After some cajoling, he reluctantly did ... and then proceeded to eat several huge portions for dinner ... and again for breakfast the next morning ... before calling me at work to tell me it was really, really good ... and that I needed to make more!

And finally ... my boyfriend, who is so in sync with me that he can sense when I am cooking, called just as I set dinner on the table. I hadn't invited him over earlier because I knew he didn't like meatloaf, but I told him there was plenty if he was interested. He accepted the offer. It was late, and he was tired ... and eating food he didn't really like was easier than cooking for himself. (I like to think he really came over just to see me :) He didn't particularly care for it, but he ate it, and he wasn't hungry when he left, so mission accomplished, right?

The next day, Thing 2 was dreaming of meatloaf all day at school, and was heartbroken when she got home and found only a small piece left. She ate it, but wanted more ... so she texted me the above message. (Autocorrect changed "love" to "vote" ... but I knew what she meant!)

I haven't made meatloaf again (yet). Now that I know the power of meatloaf, I'm saving it to bribe them in the future. My kids may as well be carrying this sign around the house ...