It's not made out of wood

"Is this real water?"

So I was trying to show the folks how to transfer e-mail addresses to their iPad's contact book and add phone numbers, etc. (Okay, that's something they're not ever going to get.)

My mom's address book is a random, non alphabetized list in a journal book so I was entering all their names and numbers for them when mom says to dad – Oh, you wanted to ask her about the water.

Water?

Dad tells me to pass him 'the thing' – that's what he calls the iPad. He goes to the home screen.

Is this real water, under the glass? he asks.

Ha! No. That's just wallpaper, I laugh.

Wallpaper? both mom and dad say at once.

Uh. Just an image, for the background. You could make any picture the background image. Here look, I say, going into settings and calling up the built-in wallpaper, now it's wood.

Oh, dad says. But why would they make it look like there was condensation under the glass? Because that could actually happen.

I dunno, I tell him, still chuckling. Later, I call them from my car. Mom answers. I say, Hey, tell dad even though I changed it to wood, it's not made of wood now.

Are your laughing at us? mom asks.

A little bit.