July 5th, 1978: In which Nancy calls Pete's bluff

Today Petey threatened to run away again.  Vicky was here and was very shocked when I said "OK...I'll help you pack".  I said "I'll have to find another little boy to give your toys to because you can't take them with you".  Pete said, "I'll take a big suitcase and take them all" (it would have to be a very large suitcase).  I said "oh no, you can't take a suitcase because they're mine.  You'll have to pack in a bandana handkerchief, three pairs of underpants, three pairs of socks, and a clean handkerchief-that's all you can take".  And Pete said "I'll come back tonight and steal a big suitcase", and I said "of course you'll miss 'Charlie's Angels'"...then Pete thought maybe he'd run away tomorrow instead.  All the time Vicky was saying "She doesn't mean it...you don't mean it do you???  Petey, you can stay at my house....she's only teasing"-very agitated.  But Pete and I always play this game.  In fact, when he says "I don't like you", I say, "OK then, I'll run away", and he usually changes his mind. 

Tonight he said, "Momma, would you let me run away?", and I said, "Of course not, I wouldn't really let you run away!".  I thought I'd be reassuring, but he said, "But Momma, you always let me run away!"