“I hate this TV show,” the daughter said.

“Cancel, cancel,” the mom said.

“Would you cut it out with that ‘cancel, cancel’ stuff.”

“Dr. Smith says that our words have power and that we should cancel out the negative, think positive thoughts. Our hatred is manifest.”

“And how do we get rid of those nasty negatives like war and politics? Can we cancel those too?”

“Don’t get smart with me young lady, no one likes a smarty pants.”

“And so I would be better off stupid? What should I be so that people would like me? A little princess waiting to be chosen for belle of the ball? Queen of the cotillion? That doesn’t exist. Why must you be so old?”

“There’s nothing wrong with old fashioned values. Anything else is just low class. And I don’t want to be embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed? By me? Now what could I do that would embarrass you? Let me see. Kiss a boy, or three or better yet a girl. Yeah, that would get you bad. How would you explain your gay daughter?”

“Now don’t you talk that way. You want a family and I want grandchildren. You would just be making things hard on yourself.”

“You mean making things hard on you. How would you explain it to your friends?”

“That’s not fair, I am thinking of you.”

“You are not, you’re thinking of yourself. You only have it in your head to think of yourself. The only reason you had kids was so you’d have somebody to love you.”

“How dare you! After all I’ve done for you.”

“Oh yeah, after all you’ve done. You’ve shown me how pathetic a human existence can be. You should get a life!”

Slap.

“Cancel, cancel.”