Robbie: Where's Mom?
Grandpa: She went to a school-board meeting.
Robbie: I don't know how she does it.
Robbie: She sure keeps busy.
Grandpa: It's important to her.
Grandpa: There are lots of places to go,
Grandpa: lots of things to do.
Grandpa: She can't sit around and do nothing.
Grandpa: Philip works late.
Robbie: I guess you're right.
Robbie: I wish I had her energy.
Philip: Anybody home?
Robbie: We're in here, Dad.
Philip: Oh. Hi, gang.
Grandpa: Hello, Philip.
Grandpa: How was your day?
Philip: My day was just fine.
Philip: So was my night.
Grandpa: It's almost ten o'clock.
Philip: Mmm. I'm starving.
Philip: Um ... where's Mom?
Robbie: She went to a school-board meeting.
Robbie: There a note for you on the refrigerator.
Philip: Oh?
Philip: Did you have dinner, Robbie?
Robbie: Yeah.
Robbie: Mike and I had a hamburger at the diner.
Robbie: I came home a little while ago.
Robbie: You've been working late
Robbie: almost every night this week, Dad.
Robbie: Aren't you exhausted?
Philip: I don't have time to be exhausted.
Robbie: You and Mom haven't had dinner together with us
Robbie: in almost a full week.
Philip: Yeah,
Philip: I feel bad
Philip: about us not having dinner with the family,
Philip: but our schedules are so different.
Philip: Either I'm at the hospital doing paperwork,
Philip: or Mom is at a committee meeting.
Philip: I frankly don't know what to do about it.
Robbie: I'm worried about you and Mom.
Robbie: You really have been working too hard.
Philip: Well,
Philip: I think I've had enough of that sandwich.
Robbie: You didn't finish it.
Philip: It's not good to eat before going to bed.
Philip: A cookie can't hurt, though.
Philip: Well,
Philip: I'm heading off for bed
Philip: and a good night's sleep.
Philip: Well, good night.
Grandpa: Good night, Son.
Robbie: Good night, Dad.
Philip: I'm going to bed.
Grandpa: Good night, Philip.
Philip: Haven't you finished balancing that checkbook?
Grandpa: I found another mistake.
Grandpa: I'll be off to bed myself in a minute.
Philip: OK. Good night.
Robbie: I'm really concerned about them,
Robbie: Grandpa.
Grandpa: Concerned about whom?
Robbie: About Mom and Dad.
Robbie: They hardly ever see each other.
Robbie: Dad often works late,
Robbie: and Mom has all these committees she's on.
Grandpa: What do you propose to do about it?
Grandpa: You have that look in your eye.
Robbie: I don't know,
Robbie: but there must be a way
Robbie: of getting them to spend more time together.
Robbie: Quality time.