Another Father’s Day, Different Surprises
Last year, my family took me out to the local Renaissance fair, lulled me into a false sense of being "special" on Father's Day, then launched their assault by telling me they had bought a pool . So this year, I was dreading the surprise. What next? A hot tub? Fortunately, the family took mercy on me and have not - at least so far - dropped anything like that on me. But there have been some surprises.
First, there was a brand new Weber charcoal grill out on the back deck - it had not been there the night before. I would have remembered. We have a gas grill, but there is something special about food grilled on charcoal that both my wife and I love, despite the bother. So now I can retire the old one that is suffering from too many years in the elements. Rust never sleeps, after all. Inside the grill was another surprise. A first edition copy of The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, by Robert A. Heinlein. My youngest boy, who is twelve, had borrowed my copy of that book - also a first edition (bought on the day it was released, incidentally), took it to school and promptly lost it. He had found a copy on Amazon and bought it with his own money to replace the one he lost.
I like it better than the original copy.
My wife had made plans to take the family out to brunch. My oldest son and his wife were going to come along, making it a real family affair. While we were waiting for them to arrive, the phone rang. And just like that, my wife had to go in to work. There was a crisis that required her presence. She told me I had to take the rest of the family to brunch, though. So off we went. This was one of those "all you can eat" brunches, so everyone did their level best to do so. It was a good time that would have been better had my bride been there, but we made do.
My wife did not have to stay long at work, fortunately, and she was home by mid afternoon. I made preparations for dinner - kabobs on the new grill - and generally took it easy for the afternoon. Then the phone rang. (I swear, I want that thing disconnected.) This time it was news that my younger brother, who has Downs Syndrome, was in the hospital. He lives in a group home back in New York and had suddenly passed out. I am one of his guardians; my older sister is the other one. It turns out that she is out of the country and can't be reached. So I authorized medical treatment (observation and some tests scheduled for tomorrow) and there isn't a thing I can do other than that. Oh, and I can worry. Which I am. They are checking his heart tomorrow. He is almost exactly 18 months younger than I am.
It has been a day of both ups and downs. I hope other fathers out there have had a good day with a lot of ups and very few downs.
Personal Thoughts | Gaius Sunday, 17 June , 2007
By Purple Avenger, Sunday, 17 June , 2007 @ 8:32 pm
If you were to sneak a few little 4′ gators into that pool, I bet its appeal would plunge rapidly.
By Thomas Pfau, Monday, 18 June , 2007 @ 4:54 am
Congratulations on the new grill. I’ve always thought if you’re cooking on gas you’re just cooking outside. To barbecue, you need charcoal. You can tell how good a weekend has been by how much hair you have left on your arms. I singed quite a bit off mine yesterday. The Weber is a great grill.
I’ll be praying for you brother.
By Gaius, Monday, 18 June , 2007 @ 5:56 am
Thank you.
By Sylvia, Monday, 18 June , 2007 @ 8:41 am
Prayers for your brother.
I grilled two slabs of king salmon and a butterflied leg of lamb yesterday for the in-laws, on my rusty old Weber.