One evening, we were driving to Narragansett for our pre-dinner constitutional along the sea wall. Jo had flown off to Baltimore earlier that day for her friend's party. So Alu was sitting next to Vivian's car seat during the drive. He had a packet of raisins and was handing them to Vivian one at a time. Every time Vivian asked for a raisin, Alu told her, "say 'Please'". Not once did Vivian say please, and the packet was empty by the time we reached Narragansett.
On the way back, I hear her singing to herself in the back "please, please, please...". Wow - I am not sure what surprised me more - that she had picked it up, or that Uncle Alu was the one teaching her manners.
We get back home and sit around the kitchen table and eat pizza. Over dinner, well past her bed time (Mom's not home), Michelle sings and hums and claps a few tunes and Vivian tries to mimic her. Then she bows and Vivian does that too. About five minutes later, I look at Vivian and say "take a bow, please", and she grins from ear to ear and drops her head in a quick nod more than a bow. But hey, it's her new repeatable pet trick. Next time you see her, try it.
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