Be careful when making fun of Dear Old Dad

28-07-2022

The tree you’re standing under is me. The root you just tripped over? That was probably my dad. It’s amazing how we became the same people we said we would never be.

“Hey son! How’s your day going?” My father has a knack for always sounding like he just ate a bottle of stimulant pills. It is a trait that has been passed down from previous generations. “I’m fine,” I replied. My parents and I talk almost every day and usually for good reason. They are puzzled once again as to why the printer doesn’t work with their computer, or wonder why their computer doesn’t work with their printer. Either way, I’ve come to hate Bill Gates.

Our conversation that day was just to “catch up” on what’s going on in our lives. I inform Dad of my latest public speaking reservations and Dad reciprocates by giving me his schedule information. Dad does what I do but he does it for the churches. In other words, my father and I get paid for what they used to make us go out in the hallway: talk a lot.

This particular morning our conversation did not last long. Before he hung up, Dad wanted to tell me that he had received a phone call from a certain person who was going to book him to do his finance seminar and then we said our goodbyes and hung up. Typical call. Typical day. So I thought.

Near the end of that same day, I received a second phone call from my dad and my mom was listening on her other phone. Both are often on the line when they call. Right before I hang up, Dad starts telling me again about this person who had called him and wanted to schedule him for a seminar. Now, before you think my dad is losing his memory, let me set you straight. He has never had one. Not really, but my dad has always been a repeater of stories, a repeater of jokes, a repeater of stories and a repeater of jokes. This was just another story that he was going to politely listen to, again, or jump in and interrupt the inevitable.

I decided to respond with “You already told me this dad”. Usually he goes “oh” and we drop it. However, this time he was sure he hadn’t. I insisted yes and began to repeat the details of the name, place and circumstances that I had shared earlier that day. Hesitant to give up, he finally did with an “oh, I guess I should have told you already.” I could hear mom laughing on the other phone and we all laughed as our conversation came to an end.

The next day, my daughter, wife, and I were sitting around our table getting ready to eat. I started to strike up a conversation by telling them about the phone call I had with my dad the day before. I laughed as he went out of his way to explain to my wife and teenage daughter how Grandpa Jack was so adamant about not repeating his story when he really had. While still making fun of my dad, my daughter started laughing and interrupted me with the next line. “Dad, you already told us about your conversation with Grandpa. You told us last night.” – True story!

Moral of the story?

I don’t remember the moral of the story. Ask my daughter.

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