Quote · Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe
S12 EP52: I am spent
Where this was said
Father-In-Law, Squash, and the Golf Argos Clubs Story
At 17:32 · chapter starts 16:40
The episode's central story belongs to Josh, who has become — much to his own surprise — something of a Devon social animal. He catalogues six events across two days: a Saturday that began with art club (where the parents had coffee), continued with a local road craft fair, and climaxed at a 'Long Table' street dinner where the road was closed and families brought their own food from Waitrose. Josh admits the long table was actually two parallel tables, which was 'a bit of a disappointment.' After the event, children discovered that the gazebos (described memorably by Josh as 'the roof of a marquee, but with legs') had been anchored to water-filled wheelie bins. Someone tipped one over, and kids spent the tail end of the evening jumping into the flood on the tarmac, Rob comparing the scene to a New York fire hydrant moment in Harlem. Sunday brought a children's triathlon Josh's daughter watched rather than competed in due to a broken arm, a birthday party, and drinks with new neighbours. At the end of it all, Josh's verdict was simple: 'I am spent.'
Rob's future father-in-law challenged him to squash at Center Parcs when Rob was 25 and Lou's dad was around 56. He was wearing shoes that 'looked like they were found on the Titanic.' He absolutely demolished Rob, walked to the bar for half a pint, and declared Rob wasn't good enough for his daughter.
