More tea, vicar?

It was the first day of the summer holidays.  Dave had a nice new blue ball, and was off to play with his friends.  The ball was a big hit, and day after day they played with it all day long.  His particular friends were Nick and Angela, and as the days passed they devised quite a complicated game to play with it; others came along too, and great fun was had by all.

Then one day, the others found a new ball.  This one was red and white, with lots of bright pictures all over it.  It was much more popular with the gang than Dave's old blue one and as they played with it, Nick and Angela and the others thought up new rules to adapt their game and make it even more fun.  Everyone else thought these changes were a good idea and happily joined in.  Dave didn't like these new ideas and tried to get the others to stick to the original game, but when they told him he ought to loosen up and think modern, he told them they couldn't play with his blue ball, and made a big show of stalking off home with it.

When he got home, he found the vicar had called to take tea with his mother.  Pleased to see Dave, the vicar switched on his friendly vicar smile, and asked him how he was getting on with his friends.  Quite sure that he'd made the right decisions, Dave told him all about the new game, and how he'd protested by taking his ball back.

Now the vicar was one of those people who are tricky to talk to because they make you think about yourself and what you're up to.  On his way there, he'd noticed the fun all the children seemed be having - with the red and white ball - and he asked Dave what he thought he'd gained by walking off on his own.  Who did he think he'd be playing with tomorrow?

Dave had lost none of his self-confidence.  "Nick, Angie and all the others, of course," he exclaimed, "I'm still one of the gang!"

The vicar smiled gently to himself ... and was there a muttered "I wonder ..." on his breath as he turned away?