Every day's a school day
Isn’t it great that no matter how old we get, we never stop having to learn? We never stop having to do things for the first time. Like tying a tie, for example.
I confess, I may have been the only thirty-something in England still unable to do it, but I’d never worn one. I didn’t have to wear one to school, and I’d never particularly felt the urge to learn. Until recently.
I was staying at my sister’s house, looking after her two kids while she and her husband were away. Early on the first morning, un-caffeinated and bleary-eyed, I helped my seven-year old nephew, Daniel, do-up the top button on his crisp white school shirt. Then I realized: the tie. Oh god, the tie.
I cursed inwardly. I paused and took a deep breath. How hard can this be? I pictured my father tying his tie, and tried a sequence of thin-end-over-thick-end that I imagined to be similar. No, that’s not right. Try again. Nope. And again.
Daniel watched me patiently, then a grin started to appear.
“You don’t know how to do it.”
“Of course I do.”
Daniel looked at his sister, who had been lingering quietly.
He stifled his giggles. “Col doesn’t know how to tie my tie.”
They both shrieked with laughter. A grown-up unable to tie a tie? It was unthinkable.
“Alright,” I said, trying to suppress my own smile. “Calm down.”
The shrieking got louder.
“Hey,” I said, “Just for fun, why don’t we look on YouTube?"
They scuttled over to me as I loaded a tutorial and placed the phone on the nightstand. Thank heaven for you, I muttered to my phone, willing the two bars of signal to hold out as I draped the blue and green striped silk around Daniel’s white shirt collar. One minute and 17 seconds later, we had nailed the half-Windsor knot.
The kids both cheered and held out their paws for a high five. I couldn’t help but laugh and nudged Daniel’s chin with my knuckle.
“You, er, you won’t tell anyone about this will you?” I asked him.
Daniel’s dark eyes creased as he giggled. “Mummy says we’re not allowed to have secrets.”
Damn. I suppose he’s right. I’ve been schooled by a seven-year-old. As I said, there’s a first time for everything.