Um...I was tired?

Last week while catching up with an old friend I spent some time at her house with her two children, one in second grade and the other in fifth grade.  I offered up my help with their homework and her son, Alex in fifth grade took me up on it.  He had to play a game for his math class that involved finding the factors of numbers.  I told him I wasn't too spiffy in math and did he have any English homework he needed my assistance with.  He did not so I sighed and told him I would attempt to play the game, but that math was not my strong suit.

Alex:  "Well there is a beginner version and an intermediate one.  Which one would you like to play?"

Me:  "Beginner please.  I'm just not that great in math."

He set up the board, explained the rules, wrote our names down on a score sheet and we got down to playing the game.  His sister, Sydney sat down next to me and began peppering me with questions.

Sydney:  "Are you good at math Miss Cara?"

Me:  "No.  Math is not a subject that I understand.  I'm just not the greatest when it comes to math."

Sydney:  "Alex is good at math."

Alex let me go first, chose the number 48 and let me attempt to find the factors of that number.  For some reason my memorization of multiplication tables went right out the window.  I talked aloud trying to multiply certain numbers to come up with 48 much to the horror of my friend who kept calling them out to help me.

Me:  "If I could have some scratch paper that might help me as I'm drawing a blank at this moment.  And stop telling me the answers that is cheating."

Sydney:  "I think she is trying to help you.  Alex is really good in math."

Alex got me a calculator instead of paper assuring me that it was in the rules and allowed.  I didn't want to have to resort to the use of a calculator, but unfortunately my pre-mentapausal brain was not assisting me in making any kind of dent in this math game and I turned to the calculator.  Eventually as we got into the game and marked off the higher numbers I was starting to remember factors at a quicker rate then before.  Apparently not quick enough for Sydney.

Sydney:  "Alex is really good in math."

Me:  "Yes, I can see that."

Sydney:  "Do you want to win this game, Miss Cara?"

Me:  "Yes, Sydney I do.  I am a competitor and try to win every game I play."

Sydney:  "Alex is really good in math."

Me:  "Yes, Sydney you have mentioned that a few times."

Sydney:  "Well, if I were you...I'd hold on to that calculator."

(Alex won)