My boy fell ill. His little body aching and tears streaming down his cheek. We put him to bed because he needed to sleep. As I turned off the light to the bedroom and urged him to rest I noticed his dog sitting right next to him. He was looking at his kid and would not move. He laid there most the night. My kiddo is tough and is alright now and for the record his dog and I don’t always seem to see eye to eye. But he loves my tyke unconditionally and that’s all I need to know.
Category: Dad Stories
Conchas
The closest thing my sisters and I had to Poptarts were Conchas. We had to beg my mom to buy them just like my kids ask us. Both a terrific treat in the morning but the likeliness that you’d get sugar-dust all over your sweater was certainly higher with the latter.
Coach Torres
Someday, and that day may never come, I’ll be able to sit down on the sidelines as a grandparent with no need to set up nets, haul cleats, fill up water bottles or buy pizza for the team. But until that day you’ll find me coaching my kids’ teams on and getting sunburnt on any given Saturday.
Salt Lick
It happened to my pop and now it’s happening to me. (No not the receding hair line but thanks for bringing that up). I’m taking about the need for salt. We used to get on his case about it and now look at me pouring it on!
Morning Chores
My favorite part of the morning wasn’t waking up relatively late to the hot coffee she re-heated for us, or the sausages topped with syrup, the steaming mount of colorful hash-browns mixed with ketchup or the eggs scrambled at my plate. Nope my favorite part was watching my son’s face grimace while doing his chore and cleaning out the chickens’ coop. Him yelling out “nasty” was a highlight in every sense of the word.
Bill comes Due
The first time I shelled out over $100 at a grocery store was at a Vons in Montebello. My girlfriend and I had just moved into a little one bedroom apartment (with a peeping site manager) and we needed to fill our hand-me-down fridge. I wasn’t happy! Fast forward 2 decades and how I long for them “cheaper” store runs. Don’t tell me about the bill when these kids turn to trends…my heart and wallet just can’t take it.
All Apologies
I owe an apology. To my parents because now that I think of it I didn’t give them enough moments of sheer terror like my children do. Did I charge the camera? Do I need to move meetings around? How will I navigate the sea of parents also trying to get a picture? Does she know I’m here and I didn’t forget? I just wasn’t that kind of student. Luckily (for my mom at least) her grandchildren succeed where I didn’t and I don’t might riding their coat-tails a bit.
Juicing
My pop bought a juicer once from a guy! For a few weeks there we’d get carrot juice after church. Sunday after Sunday we had carrots. I grew to hate’m and also scraping their pulp off the sides of the machine I had to clean. Ironic that sometimes when give a choice at the Jamba Juice that I’d choose some carrot goodness. Guess it makes me feel like a kid again.
Shave and a Haircut
We practiced it! “I need a Number 3 around with a fade and long sides. Half the length a top from what I have now and please thin it out. I wear it spiky!” Now I’m watching my boy holding as still as he can on the chair as the clippers drop bits of hair on his nose he’s dying to itch. Funny how in just minutes he’ll look older and taller. Thanks Mr Barber Man.
Date Nite
Dating ain’t easy! You want her to have fun. You tell your best jokes. Ya watch your drinks so as not to make a fool of yourself. Oh darn I hope the outfit I chose doesn’t let my belly show too much! No lie but you are checking her out but trying to be sly about it! That top she’s wearing is something else though!
Then you get her back at your place. Well her place. Actually our place…the kids hug you both and you’re back to the “everyday”.
But you both know the date was fun and if your lucky the little people will go to bed early and then……….