Priss & Pecan, Pt 4: Dump Truck Baby

[Carm_88]

I can't imagine that flight. Oh my god. Poor Priscilla. I feel for her. 

[Palimpsest]

Eh, when it comes to the Pecan Thief, I only see naked ambition in his eyes.  I'll go on record as thinking that he wants to be the bestest IBLP rep evah and rise to the top!  

He was Gothard's PA, don't forget, and must know some real dirt.

When push came to shove, however, Pecan saw the writing on the wall and ditched his devotion to Mr. Gothard.  He went with the new regime with bells on.  Because he is very ambitious.

As to his relationship with Pris - no idea.  I really hope he is kind to her and doesn't take her for granted because she is such a trouper.  He might want to tie a knot in his penis and give her a small break.  He might also want to take a break from all the travel for the sake of his kiddies and for Pris.

I don't like the Pecan Thief and it has nothing to do with his being fabulous.

He's smug, selfish, arrogant, stupid, and crass.   That's enough.

 

 

[JeanieCat]

He does seem to be a very plastic sort of person like a Ken doll I guess! Very driven and constantly on! Not exactly sure how his personality compares to the rest of the Wallers.

[teachergirl]

Nope. They are going to Australia with the Bates in January. About 3 months after the birth of the baby, yeah he doesnt give a crap about pris and the kids except to be a prop.

[Coconut Flan]

Who is paying the travel bill?  IBLP, it's for a conference.

[marmalade]

Priss isn't listed as a speaker, Just TFDW and Mere/Pere Bates. 

It's an IBLP function, so the Organization is paying. Maybe Pris will be left at home with the kids? I don't know if IBLP will foot the bill for her and the kids or any kids Gil and Kelly bring with them. At least the Bateses can afford to bring some of their spawn these days. Wanna bet Lawson tags along to sing to the poor masses? 

And wanna bet that this will NOT be part of Bringing Up Bates? The Duggars haven't shown Big Sandy in YEARS now in their attempt to normalize; I can't see the Bateses ruining their false image of the lighthearted mainstream Christian family now. 

And please UP, do NOT put TFDW back on TV. I have my memories of the wedding and mud wrestling to make me smirk. Watching him speak may send me into a rage...

 

[Coy Koi]

1 hour ago, Carm_88 said:

I can't imagine that flight. Oh my god. Poor Priscilla. I feel for her. 

I feel for the other people on the flight. Nobody but maybe Bill Gothard, Priscilla's father, and Donald Trump deserves that.

[Palimpsest]

2 hours ago, marmalade said:

It's an IBLP function, so the Organization is paying. Maybe Pris will be left at home with the kids?

<snip for space>

And wanna bet that this will NOT be part of Bringing Up Bates? The Duggars haven't shown Big Sandy in YEARS now in their attempt to normalize; I can't see the Bateses ruining their false image of the lighthearted mainstream Christian family now. 

Of course IBLP/Ati will pay.  If Pris doesn't go along with Davey it will be a first since her marriage.  I expect she'll be there.

To the bolded - nope.  The Duggars were speakers at Big Sandy in 2016.  There is photographic evidence.  They were not headliners (post Josh) and TLC didn't show it - but they were there.

Both Kelly and Gil were also featured speakers at Big Sandy 2016.  UpTV didn't show that either.

[Phoenix]

Poor baby Phillip definitely looked like he just wanted to go back to sleep! Or at least for them to stop posing him every time he got slightly comfortable. Why did they insist on cramming him into containers that were just too small for him, such as the toy dump truck or the straw basket? In the headshot with his eyes open he looks unimpressed at best, In that particular photo his wobbly little chin reminded me of Ma Keller. 

[Jana814]

I can't imagine being on a plane for so many hours with like likes of David and family.  I feel bad for anyone who will be on the flight with them. 

[LadyCrow1313]

1 hour ago, Jana814 said:

I can't imagine being on a plane for so many hours with like likes of David and family.  I feel bad for anyone who will be on the flight with them. 

I've seen a few pictures where people traveling with babies on airplanes give little bags of "thank you for dealing with this" goodies to fellow passengers. What would be contained in similar bags for a plane ride with TFDW & crew? Little bottles of booze, earplugs and blinders?

[Palimpsest]

3 minutes ago, LadyCrow1313 said:

I've seen a few pictures where people traveling with babies on airplanes give little bags of "thank you for dealing with this" goodies to fellow passengers. What would be contained in similar bags for a plane ride with TFDW & crew? Little bottles of booze, earplugs and blinders?

If it's David and Priss, you'll need to bring your own booze and earplugs.  All they will be handing out is Bibles and tracts by the bushel.

[bal maiden]

On 12/1/2016 at 5:30 AM, LadyCrow1313 said:

I've seen a few pictures where people traveling with babies on airplanes give little bags of "thank you for dealing with this" goodies to fellow passengers. What would be contained in similar bags for a plane ride with TFDW & crew? Little bottles of booze, earplugs and blinders?

Completely off topic, but I hatehatehate this trend/idea. Children are people, they are part of life and community, and not something parents should feel they have to compensate others for their existence. They have a right to travel too. If you see someone with a baby on a plane, offer to fucking help them, not roll your eyes. 

in general, I feel this 'offer candy and earplugs' thing is a reflection on how child/family unfriendly the USA is. Children are really expected to be hidden away and not part of public life here in a way that I never experienced in Europe. I mean, fuck, mothers in the US are expected to pop out a baby and then carry on being their pre-baby self at work a few weeks later as if nothing has happened. Ridiculous! 

/rant 

[Georgiana]

54 minutes ago, bal maiden said:

Completely off topic, but I hatehatehate this trend/idea. Children are people, they are part of life and community, and not something parents should feel they have to compensate others for their existence. They have a right to travel too. If you see someone with a baby on a plane, offer to fucking help them, not roll your eyes. 

in general, I feel this 'offer candy and earplugs' thing is a reflection on how child/family unfriendly the USA is. Children are really expected to be hidden away and not part of public life here in a way that I never experienced in Europe. I mean, fuck, mothers in the US are expected to pop out a baby and then carry on being their pre-baby self at work a few weeks later as if nothing has happened. Ridiculous! 

/rant 

I don't think they are compensating others for their existence.  I think they are saying "Hey, I know you paid good money for this flight, and sadly there is a good chance that I will be making your trip worse.  I acknowledge the fact that I am making something unpleasant for you."  It's not really a compensation so much as it is a nod to the fact that you will be impacting another person's enjoyment.  Doesn't mean you don't have every RIGHT to do that, in this case, but it is a nice gesture.

And I personally hate the expectation that you should be *expected* to help strangers with their kids.  Ever.  I love kids.  I do.  But sometimes I am just not in the mood, and since I have chosen not to have kids, I also have the privilege of choosing not to deal with them when I don't feel like it.  One of the reasons I don't have kids is because I love to travel and DON'T love the stress of travelling with littles.  We all make our choices in this world and we all have to deal with the consequences.

So while I might be totally down to play with your infant, hold a sleeping baby, watch Frozen with your toddler (because I haven't seen it 200 times), etc.  that's just because I like kids and am nice.  If I don't WANT to do any of those things and would prefer to nap, that's my call.  If you have a terrible flight because you chose to bring two toddlers and an infant on the plane, that's not my problem.  I have no obligation to give up my peace/enjoyment just because someone else in my general proximity made different choices that have made some things harder for them.  

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

[Palimpsest]

1 hour ago, bal maiden said:

Completely off topic, but I hatehatehate this trend/idea. Children are people, they are part of life and community, and not something parents should feel they have to compensate others for their existence. They have a right to travel too. If you see someone with a baby on a plane, offer to fucking help them, not roll your eyes. 

in general, I feel this 'offer candy and earplugs' thing is a reflection on how child/family unfriendly the USA is. Children are really expected to be hidden away and not part of public life here in a way that I never experienced in Europe. I mean, fuck, mothers in the US are expected to pop out a baby and then carry on being their pre-baby self at work a few weeks later as if nothing has happened. Ridiculous! 

/rant 

I completely agree with the first paragraph.  The bolded in the second paragraph, not so much.  Really?  Where are you living in the US so I can move ther?.  Sometimes it seems that everywhere I go I'm surrounded by kids having tantrums.  No, no, I'm joking, but I don't think the US is that child/family unfriendly. 

The fact that the US doesn't have decent paid parental leave for all is appalling.   

[slickcat79]

42 minutes ago, Georgiana said:

And I personally hate the expectation that you should be *expected* to help strangers with their kids.  Ever.  I love kids.  I do.  But sometimes I am just not in the mood, and since I have chosen not to have kids, I also have the privilege of choosing not to deal with them when I don't feel like it.  One of the reasons I don't have kids is because I love to travel and DON'T love the stress of travelling with littles.  We all make our choices in this world and we all have to deal with the consequences.

Agreed with all of this, except that I don't love kids. I hate being around them, especially babies/toddlers. Seeing little kids on a plane brings an immediate feeling of dread. I once paid for a last-minute upgrade to business class so I could avoid it. I will not be volunteering to do anything to help with a stranger's kids unless they are in danger of hurting themselves. But I wouldn't say that's necessarily reflective of American society as a whole. In my experience, people are by turns horrified, dismissive, and patronizing when you tell them that you don't like kids and are never having any. 

That said, I don't care for the trend of goody bags for plane passengers either. There may be a million reasons someone would need to bring a baby on a plane, and they're allowed to do so. Most rational people can understand that you're not going to get away from being around little kids in public life. And realistically, a baggie of candy and earplugs is not actually going to help anything. I'm not going to wear earplugs for 3 hours because of your screaming child. I'd rather the parent save their money and put it towards some benadryl and a new pacifier. Realistically though, people traveling with littles have enough to worry about besides handing out treat bags.  

[Jana814]

I hate flying anyway so if I'm on a flight with a bunch of screaming kids I would not be happy at all. 

[ViolaSebastian]

1 hour ago, Georgiana said:

I don't think they are compensating others for their existence.  I think they are saying "Hey, I know you paid good money for this flight, and sadly there is a good chance that I will be making your trip worse.  I acknowledge the fact that I am making something unpleasant for you."  It's not really a compensation so much as it is a nod to the fact that you will be impacting another person's enjoyment.  Doesn't mean you don't have every RIGHT to do that, in this case, but it is a nice gesture.

And I personally hate the expectation that you should be *expected* to help strangers with their kids.  Ever.  I love kids.  I do.  But sometimes I am just not in the mood, and since I have chosen not to have kids, I also have the privilege of choosing not to deal with them when I don't feel like it.  One of the reasons I don't have kids is because I love to travel and DON'T love the stress of travelling with littles.  We all make our choices in this world and we all have to deal with the consequences.

So while I might be totally down to play with your infant, hold a sleeping baby, watch Frozen with your toddler (because I haven't seen it 200 times), etc.  that's just because I like kids and am nice.  If I don't WANT to do any of those things and would prefer to nap, that's my call.  If you have a terrible flight because you chose to bring two toddlers and an infant on the plane, that's not my problem.  I have no obligation to give up my peace/enjoyment just because someone else in my general proximity made different choices that have made some things harder for them.  

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

There's also a distinct gender element to all this. There is just not the expectation that men should help out with other people's children, but as a person who identifies as a woman, I should somehow always be available and willing to lend a hand. And the truth is, I do, quite a bit--but when I'm on vacation or just not feeling it, I bow out. 

I also agree with @Palimpsest about children being welcome dang near anywhere. It seems the number of places that were once "adults-only" are turning into places that are now acceptable to bring children. For example, I'll never get used to the fact that it's normal to take children into bars and uber-fancy restaurants now. (I don't mind it in restaurants with bars, I'm talking straight up bars at Happy Hour). I'm even seeing kids out at places past 10:00 in the evening, too. 

[marmalade]

On 11/30/2016 at 7:48 PM, Palimpsest said:

Of course IBLP/Ati will pay.  If Pris doesn't go along with Davey it will be a first since her marriage.  I expect she'll be there.

To the bolded - nope.  The Duggars were speakers at Big Sandy in 2016.  There is photographic evidence.  They were not headliners (post Josh) and TLC didn't show it - but they were there.

Both Kelly and Gil were also featured speakers at Big Sandy 2016.  UpTV didn't show that either.

No, I meant that the Duggars haven't been SHOWN in Big Sandy on the SHOW for years in TLC's attempt to normalize them. I am well aware that the Duggars speak at every conference, either live or via video. Sorry for the misunderstanding. 

[Buzzard]

3 minutes ago, marmalade said:

No, I meant that the Duggars haven't been SHOWN in Big Sandy on the SHOW for years in TLC's attempt to normalize them. I am well aware that the Duggars speak at every conference, either live or via video. Sorry for the misunderstanding. 

Do we know what they speak about?  Surely its not the same old, same old, especially considering the whole "we covered up molestation" thing.  

[Palimpsest]

40 minutes ago, ViolaSebastian said:

There's also a distinct gender element to all this. There is just not the expectation that men should help out with other people's children, but as a person who identifies as a woman, I should somehow always be available and willing to lend a hand. And the truth is, I do, quite a bit--but when I'm on vacation or just not feeling it, I bow out. 

OMG.  You just reminded me of an incident on a transatlantic flight - this was years ago.

I get on the plane and there is a man sitting in my window seat.  I'm showing him my seat assignment and a flight attendant comes over to see what the issue is.  He says (in French and I have to translate for the flight attendant) that he isn't going to move because there is a crying baby in the seat next to his.  I can sit there because I'm female.  I say, no way.  I don't want to be next to a crying baby either (to say nothing of the fact that I intend to sleep the whole night flight.) 

Flight attendant says she thinks the flight is full but she'll check to see whether she can move one of us.  She comes back in a couple of minutes with blood in her eyes and a second muscularly blessed flight attendant behind her.

She says loudly: "Sir.  Get back to your own seat IMMEDIATELY!  Your wife needs your help with YOUR son!"

Mr. Je Ne Parle Pas Anglais slinks back down the plane aisle to his wife and child with his tail between his legs and all the other passengers looking at him with contempt. 

[Carm_88]

An overnight flight filled with crying babies isn't pleasant for me, but I imagine that it's not too pleasant for the parents either. 

[Snarkle]

First, I would imagine they would hand out tracts and pecan "goody" bags, cause hey, saving souls who are trapped on a trans-atlantic flight is a bonus!

I would hope that the Wallers would not put three small children through a trip like that, especially with one being so young, but I wouldn't put anything past them, because, well, David.  Gotta show off his perfect little Christian family for the masses.

And while I have a teen, I cringe when I see children on planes sometimes.  My son was an easy baby/kid, so I really didn't have the nightmarish flights some parents go through because kids will be kids.  I get that babies/toddlers/kids can have a rough time flying and being confined to a small space - heck, for everyone flying sucks these days.  I feel a special amount of empathy for parents of kids with special needs, especially those that are not easily visible - flying must be especially difficult without people judging you the whole trip.

However, I also see a boatload of parents over the years who come SOOOOOO unprepared for flights and/or don't take care of their kids.  I'm still surprised when there's a delay and a parent says they don't have food for their baby or extra diapers, or they don't have anything for a toddler/kid to do or eat while in the air (like books, iPad, snacks, etc.).  Maybe I was an overpacker, but at least I tried to plan for the worst and hoped for the best.  Even when my son started flying on his own, half of his carry on was snacks/books/things to do, even for a short flight where there were video screens.  Recently we were on a flight where the parents were too busy watching videos to help their kids with anything, much less to tell one kid to stop flipping the tray table up and down, up and down.  After several well-placed eye rolls over the seat, the parent finally cottoned on that I was going to lose it if it happened again.

One other story...if you're interested in why I get annoyed at parents who aren't prepared:

Spoiler

When my son was a toddler he was way into Thomas the Tank Engine, so we carried wooden trains everywhere.  At our local airport there was a train table in a waiting area provided by the local children's museum, and to access trains, you could leave an ID/credit card with the museum staff who also sold toys/etc. and promoted the museum.  Well, my son saw the table and joyously ran over to me where I handed him a few trains we were traveling with out of a ziploc bag.  No sooner was he playing with his trains when another child came over and ripped them out of his hands.  I went over and took them back (my poor kid was too stunned to do anything), and the other child's parent freaked out, yelling at me to give the trains back as they were "communal property" for anyone there, despite there being an abundance of signage explaining how to "check out" trains.  Needless to say I pointed out the ziploc bag of other trains with us, and our name on the bottom of said trains, and then pointed out the sign and where he could get some trains for his special snowflake.  He still tried to tell me my kid should share, which normally I might if he hadn't been such a jerk and my kid hadn't been so upset.  I learned this from a friend of mine whose kids used to do print modeling during the '80s in Chicago.  When they went on casting calls, she brought several tote bags filled with stuff for her kids to do - stickers, coloring books, books, toys, snacks, drinks, and so on, because they could be stuck in a waiting room all day.  While the other parents were busy primping and coaching their kids, my friend (who had been a teacher) spent time keeping her kids occupied and happy, to the point that they were relaxed when they were finally called in to meet the casting people and often got the job because of it.  She said other parents would often get angry at her and her kids for not sharing if they didn't just automatically share everything with the kids they were competing against.  They did share occasionally, but not always, because my friend said the other parents, many of whom they saw again and again at the same casting calls, should have been more prepared.

 

[Snarkle]

Oh, and the pictures of Phillip on the stump look like a creepy rendition of how an ancestor might use said stump on the farm for killin' chickens, if you get what I mean - laid out and ready for the axe.  

Also, I get that he's a few days old and pretty limp/flexible/immobile at that age, but why stuff/lay out a poor newborn in such ways?  I would be scared the baby would somehow fall off or worse.   Why risk it for some tacky pictures?

[bal maiden]

5 hours ago, Georgiana said:

I don't think they are compensating others for their existence.  I think they are saying "Hey, I know you paid good money for this flight, and sadly there is a good chance that I will be making your trip worse.  I acknowledge the fact that I am making something unpleasant for you."  It's not really a compensation so much as it is a nod to the fact that you will be impacting another person's enjoyment.  Doesn't mean you don't have every RIGHT to do that, in this case, but it is a nice gesture.

And I personally hate the expectation that you should be *expected* to help strangers with their kids.  Ever.  I love kids.  I do.  But sometimes I am just not in the mood, and since I have chosen not to have kids, I also have the privilege of choosing not to deal with them when I don't feel like it.  One of the reasons I don't have kids is because I love to travel and DON'T love the stress of travelling with littles.  We all make our choices in this world and we all have to deal with the consequences.

So while I might be totally down to play with your infant, hold a sleeping baby, watch Frozen with your toddler (because I haven't seen it 200 times), etc.  that's just because I like kids and am nice.  If I don't WANT to do any of those things and would prefer to nap, that's my call.  If you have a terrible flight because you chose to bring two toddlers and an infant on the plane, that's not my problem.  I have no obligation to give up my peace/enjoyment just because someone else in my general proximity made different choices that have made some things harder for them.  

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

To the bolded, I do see your point, but I have had plenty of adults make my flights miserable and unpleasant also. None of them has offered me candy and earplugs... 

Oh, and I really don't think other adults are (or should be) expected to help with strangers' kids; I was imploring with that comment, not setting an expectation! But I do think that other adults should be expected not to roll eyes or make rude comments about travelling with small people. They are still people, and yes, you have the privilege of not dealing with them in your own home and workplace, but a plane is somewhere where people of all shapes and colours and sizes and personalities have the right to go, once they have bought a ticket. Funny how it's okay for someone to say that they have the privilege not to be around kids, and that's okay, but for someone to say that they should have the privilege of not dealing with a person of another colour or religion or life choice would be shocking and unacceptable. Children are still people.