My mother, brother and I often have fascinating conversations about politics, society, religion, art, etc., but sometimes we veer off into less lofty subject matter. To be honest, I'm usually the one who starts it.

This Monday after dinner, I asked the following question:

"If you dropped a five-dollar bill into the toilet after you'd ... done your thing, would you reach in to get it?"

"Five dollars?" my brother said. "Totally. Five dollars is five dollars. I'd do it."

I love the fact that I can propose these hypothetical situations to my mom and brother, and they always answer, no matter how ridiculous the subject matter. More than anything, it cracks me up to watch my mother tilt her head to one side and seriously ponder her answer. She's a MOTHER. She's not supposed to tolerate these kinds of questions. But she always has, and I think that's part of what allows my brother and I to have such goofy, weird senses of humor.

"I'd get it out," my mother said. "You can always wash your hands."

"What if you'd gone number two?" I asked.

"Yeah. Of course I'd still get it. It'd be floating on top." E.I. said. "The five dollars, I mean."

"This is a disgusting conversation," my mother said, her motherly propriety taking over. "Let's talk about something else."

"Oh, Mom," I said. "What's the big deal? It's just talking. Who cares? There's no one here but us."

"I just think there are better things to talk about," she said.

"You never cared before," E.I. said. "You always answer all of her dumb questions."

"Well, I'm stopping right now," my mother said. "I'm not answering any more."

"OK, what if it was a dollar?" I said, ignoring her. "Would you fish out a dollar?"

"Hmmm," E.I. said. "Yeah. I guess so. A dollar is still too much to flush down the toilet."

My mother didn't answer.

"OK, how about a quarter?" I said.

"A quarter! Now, that's just ridiculous. I wouldn't get a quarter out," my mother said.

"Ah ha!" I said. "You answered! I knew you wouldn't be able to help it!"

"Fine," my mother said, laughing. "But that's the LAST one."

But it won't be. And that's one of the reasons I think she's great.