I was up into the wee hours of the morning Friday night. I wasn’t too worried, though. I had nothing planned for Saturday, and was looking forward to sleeping in.

The kids woke me up with a bang at 8 am: singing, shouting, lights flashing, all the craziness you can imagine.

“What?” I groaned. “Why?”

“Wake up, Daddy! It’s 8 o’clock.”

“Why are you – ack!” My youngest had popped a chocolate into my mouth.

“Mom said to wake you up at 8,” his older brother said. “Good morning, Merry Sunshine!”

I couldn’t be too upset. It’s easy to recognize payback, and I certainly had earned it. Besides, the chocolate was dark and tasty. I groaned again and sat up. “Okay, I’m up. Did she really say to wake me up at 8?”

“Let’s play soccer!”

“No, basketball!”

I swallowed the rest of the chocolate. “How about breakfast?”

It was, all in all, a great start to the day, and I’m going to have to remember that chocolate trick. My wife’s whole “wake Dad up at 8” thing, though? That calls for some payback of its own.

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