It Don't Matter If You're Black or White

Had a very odd phone call with the nieces last night.

They had managed to sneak a peak (don't ask) of the Michael Jackson spectacle before bedtime. Consequently they were totally confused by the time I called.

'We watched Michael-Jackson-he's-dead,' Niece Senior informs me. 'He was black when he was a boy and now he's white. Want to speak to x?'

Before I can answer #2 is on the phone with her trademark speed talk. 'We saw Michael-Jackson-he's-dead Auntie CC.'

Ah, the Michael Jackson He's Dead show. At that moment I didn't envy my sister-in-law who had to explain that one.

'Michael-Jackson-he's-dead is in the box,' she tells me though I suspect that he is not in the 'box' at all but elsewhere. 'He was black when he was little and he's going to come back alive and be white.'

Huh?

It transpires that some of the confusion is in part due to a new puppy in the family. Both girls thought that my aunt's new brown and black terrier puppy called Hughie was the reincarnation of her beloved white Westie dog - Hamish - who who was sadly put down a couple of weeks ago much to the girls' distress.

Between a deceased white dog, a tiny black/brown puppy and the varying shades of Michael Jackson's skin over the years, there will be many questions yet to come as the week goes on.