CCCC

T h e A d v e n t u r e s o f C h i c a g o J o

first entry profileemailguestbookringsolder entries

Happy Father's Day

2003-06-15� � 10:15 a.m.
The year was 1979, and the brisk October day in New England was perfect for motorcycle cruising along the waterfront. But today wasn�t a day for seawall riding. He was in a rush. And it was time.

After nine months of waiting, which was actually more like three years of waiting since he and his wife decided to be careful and responsible with this particular decision, it was time to get a move on.

He received the call at work and knew he had to skedaddle his way to the hospital. The ride by the ocean was 30 minutes, but the ride through the dunes was a whole ten minutes faster. With his excitement and anticipation of this awaited day, the dune ride was an obvious answer.

Either there was some sketchy sand or a ginormous dune-living animal with fangs in similar sharpness to Ginsus, but there was a slight accident on the way to the hospital to greet his firstborn into this world.

I one saw a Ginsu put a considerable dent into a rod of some hard metally stuff, so I know its flesh-slashing abilities are hardcore. I might have laid my bike down too when encountered by the vampire-esque boweavil... although out of scampering distance to avoid the wrath of the potential hungry gnaw.

The story isn�t about blood-sucking mammals of dune residence. It�s about how my dad broke his leg on his way to get to the hospital to see me get born.

Dad with his leg propped and Maa with her uterus all antsy and whatnot, shared a room in the maternity ward on the night I was birthed.

This is just one of the many bonehead things my dad has done in his life as a parent thus far.

There was the time that he wore a Speedo to the beach house. Not. A. Pretty. Site. Don't even think for a second that we don�t remember you wearing a matching one too, Kyle. You at least have the excuse that you were nine, but you both looked like clowns. Naked clowns, that is. But clowns nonetheless.

In a bout of peer pressure from Maa, he gave away his favorite Hawaiian shirt after ten years of use. Only, once it made it to the Goodwill pile, I yoinked it for myself. There�s nothing like your kid flaunting her style when it used to be your style.

There was my first boyfriend, the sweet Ronny Burks and his seventh grade charm. Our relationship only four days new, we held hands at the football game. The small town rumor had spread that I was no longer a single girl, and my dad responded accordingly. His 6�4� husky frame was decked out in all black, he hadn�t shaven in a few days, and his eyes kept a sinister glare. My poor boyfriend. I would question why we only lasted 18 days, but I�m no dummy.

There was the time he bought a horse while the rest of us were on vacation out of state. I�ve never seen Maa madder at him ever, and he�s definitely done some infuriating stuff in the 26 years they�ve been married. The cowboy phase only lasted for a couple years before Lucky was sold, but he then gained a pig that required daily feeding.

I�ve heard lore of garbage cans full of fireworks being smuggled across state lines, summers spent at the beach house in North Carolina, racing his friend Jimmy Carpenter�s badass mutha of a car, how bottles of Jack should not be consumed in one sitting by a lone high school student, how quickly a gas tab adds up over a summer spent on the boat (even at 32 cents per gallon), how bongs... Wait. I won�t go there.

He�s had quite a colorful life, and I fully expect phone calls from the nurses at the old folks home saying that Dad is getting too rowdy and is chasing the women around the home, calling them sexy broads.

Actually, I kinda look forward to it. He�s a live-for-the-moment kinda guy, and I appreciate that.

Happy Father�s Day, Dad. Don�t get into too much trouble. �



Miss something?

Moving Day - 2008-02-15
Working from Home is Glorious - 2008-02-13
Speaking in Tongues - 2008-02-07
I Have My Reasons - 2008-01-25
Got an Itch, Fix it, Shine it Up, Sing it Out - 2008-01-23

back one -- forward one

get notified when I update:
email:

hosted by DiaryLand.com