(no subject)

Dad was putting the cot up. Since there wasn't supposed to be another baby after Gil, he'd had to go out and buy another one, which meant a day of him faffing around with the instructions before, invariably, putting part A into hole B and then wondering why the whole thing fell over.

He was just starting to get flatpack rage when Fry came to the doorway.

"If I took someone's picture and drew on it without asking, would that be wrong?" Fry asked.

Dad looked up. "Yes, why?"

"I knew it." Fry said. "Michael took my first picture so I let him have it. He then tried to take my new picture so I held it up and tried to get him to ask rather than snatch, because Wilford didn't bother doing anything about it. Wilford then acted like I was wrong. But I wasn't wrong, was I? I get that he's only little and doesn't know better, but how will he learn better if nobody tells him? How will he learn to talk if nobody tries to communicate with him?"

Dad paused.

"Okay. You do have to share so you were right to give him the first page. You don't have to let him snatch something important, but it doesn't sound like this was a special drawing, so trying to make him ask was unfair. And you have to mind your own business when it comes to other people's parenting."

"But..."

"No buts, Fry. You're a big boy now, sometimes you have to let these things go. Besides, it's good that Michael actually tried to play with you, that's real progress."

Fry scowled.

"I know what it's like to be the kid who doesn't know the rules and upsets people and ends up with no friends." He said. "Why can't I help?"

"Because Wilford has made it very clear, as Coral pointed out, that they do not want our help or advice." Dad said, looking back at the cot.

"So I should let them do the wrong thing?"

"You don't know that it's the wrong thing. And if it is, sometimes you have to." Dad said. "Fry, you're going to go to secondary school soon. Lots of kids there will do what you believe is the wrong thing and there will be nothing you can do to stop that. You will have to let it go sometimes, especially when it's something small, like paper, and not go telling tales."

Fry's scowl turned into a glare.

"I don't like this amendment of the rules." he said.

"Hey. It's not easy." Dad said, suddenly more gentle. "How did you feel when Michael drew on your picture? You used to draw on the communal drawing wall at school, so you understand what a shared drawing project is."

Fry hesitated, trying to find an adjective.

"He was too close. He kept touching my hand. He was in my space. I nearly had a meltdown."

"So how could you and Michael draw together without either of you getting upset?" Dad asked.

After a moment, Fry had a brainwave.

"We could have bigger paper?"

"Right. Wilford didn't tell you off either, and you weren't innocent in this argument because most kids your age would be expected to be more lenient on a toddler. I understand why you got upset. And I'm proud that you didn't have a meltdown. But now you need to go and make this right."

"Why?" Fry asked. "I mean, I will, but why is it my responsibility?"

"Because the test of good behaviour is to behave well when other people don't." Guppy said. "And you want to be well-behaved, don't you?"

Fry turned to go, then looked back through the doorway.

"Dad?"

"Yes Fry?"

"You're doing that wrong. I'll come and fix it for you after."

"Thank you Fry."

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"You know how Wilford isn't supposed to know how to make friends? Well I saw him on TV, and he has loads of friends."

"That might just be TV."

"Well I'm going to do some research."

"You do that." Guppy said. "But no dossiers like Autor used to do, people find it creepy. And no more giving Wilford parenting advice."