There are certain well-known...
There are certain well-known phrases that combine both a threat and a promise. When I was growing up, "wait until your father gets home" was one of those phrases. No other phrase worked as well to stop a fight between my brothers and me, to make sure our homework was completely done, or even to make sure that all the toys were picked up. Those words, "wait until your father gets home," held a warning like none other. But they also held a note of promise. When Dad got home he'd always play a game or two with us. Sometimes he'd take us out for a drive and buy us an ice cream cone.
