The Pete Bye

The picture you see is The Me & The Sis with The Cousins. We had lots of time with them growing up- lots of playdates, picnics, movies, sleepovers, swimming and it being Minnesota of course we went sledding.

This one particular time after a rousing sledding trip- all The Cousins came back to our house. The Sis had just gotten a tape recorder for Xmas and it being the 70’s, this was a big deal. We sat around for quite a long time recording silly voices and stories. When The Sis, being the oldest, tried to focus the group and was asking questions of us, One of The Cousins then began to share their sledding experience from earlier in the day. It went something like this- “I was on the big “twobagon” sled and it went really fast. When we got to the bottom we hit a big bump and I fell off and hurt my butt.(pause for giggling at the use of butt) My butt(more giggling) hurt so bad, I almost went BM.”

Now here is where I need to share a little tidbit- we had all recently learned that our parents chose to call “going poop” by it’s clinical term “bowel movement” or “BM”. This was in an effort to be “clean” and not have to say “poop” then hear us repeat it and giggle. Too bad they did not realize that once we knew “BM” meant “poop”- this “clean” word was now even funnier. So back to the story-

Upon hearing “BM”- we all began to giggle. This spurred The Cousin on and they began incessantly repeating it “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM” “BM”…and finnally, “BM”. Oh to have that tape.

And this reaction to “BM” has never really left any of us and it lives on in our children. Both our kids find great humor in any word or act having to do with “poop”, “farting”, or “butts”. Both The Sis and I still, at least smirk when we hear someone else say “bowel movement” or “BM”. It just proves the saying- “poop…is always funny!” if you are not sure… just ask your kid.