It’s Fathers’ Day here in Australia. My two boys made me breakfast in bed. An egg fried to perfection, and soy-bacon, extra crispy. I mean extra crispy.
My dad and I were pretty different in some ways. He liked to read John Birch literature, and Benson back when he was a fire-breathing anti-Communist. He hated it when I tried to explain what I’d learned about Communism in my PoliSci classes. Me, I was an anti-militaristic liberal who thought Reagan sucked. Reagan was Dad’s favourite president because he talked about God.
My dad voted for Nixon. I told my family I was going to vote for McGovern. I was five. I didn’t even know what voting was. I thought everyone went to a big room and stood next to the person they were voting for. There’s my whole family over there standing next to Nixon (making finger Vs), and here’s me and George McGovern all by ourselves.
Once I found a pamphlet in Dad’s desk detailing the dangers of secular humanism. I was hooked. I thought it was the greatest thing I’d ever heard of.
You’d think I was a contrarian, but I wasn’t really. I just saw things a bit differently from dear old Dad.
But sometimes in unexpected ways, we’d find something in common. He hated noisy crowds like I did, and we both loved barbecue potato chips and cream soda.
We also had the same favourite spot. It’s this place out in the country where you can look out at the undulating hills. I didn’t even realise it was his favourite spot. I used to like going there on my bicycle. My friends and I would go there and talk, light firecrackers, and hang out.
If you’re curious, there’s a slightly blurry image of the place here.
Dad and I went out to the spot the last time I was in town. We talked about stuff like always, but this time it was a little different. I told him about my postgraduate work, and the difficulty of completing a thesis. He told me about what his was like, and for a while we were just a couple of guys talking. Equals.
I never got to see Dad again after that visit because he passed away. But I didn’t feel like anything was left unsaid. We left it good.
3 September 2006 at 7:53 am
You made me cry Dan. Love you.
3 September 2006 at 9:34 am
Thanks, bud. Love you too.
And hopefully Happy Father’s Day to yourself soon!
3 September 2006 at 10:13 am
*faerie wipes away a tear*
you guys are special 🙂
3 September 2006 at 2:36 pm
I was touched too.
Beautiful and intense picture.
4 September 2006 at 7:45 pm
Thanks for sharing that, Dan. I was with my Dad when he died 23 years ago. I still miss him so much.
4 September 2006 at 7:47 pm
ps you are seriously dishy in that photo too. Who’s the young guy on the right? 🙂
5 September 2006 at 4:02 am
<rimshot>
5 September 2006 at 10:23 pm
I assume that means something akin to tumbleweed? lol. Well after all the preceding lovefest I wouldn’t like a compliment go to your head.
6 September 2006 at 6:18 am
Isn’t a rimshot something you do with a snare drum? A loud bang like a gunshot using the rim and centre of the drum at the same time.
6 September 2006 at 6:41 am
Ba dum dump. Thank you, I’ll be here all week.
6 September 2006 at 7:49 am
What Jeff said.
7 September 2006 at 5:49 pm
[This conversation is too difficult for me to follow]
8 September 2006 at 7:39 am
I’ll handle this. This is right up my street:
Comment 12:02 – I introduce a term ‘rimshot’. The implication is that I recognise snowqueen’s joke.
snowqueen @ 6:23 – asks for a definition of the term
ash @ 2:18 gives a partial explanation
jeff @ 2:41 gives of example of something a comedian would say after a real rimshot
@ 3:49 I agreed with Jeff, and provided a link to a definition
This was actually a rather complex multi-party dialogue.
10 September 2006 at 8:55 pm
Daniel,
sorry for not thanking you earlier for the explanation but I saw this only today, Sunday 10th September 2006, 10:45 p.m.
Hopefully I can give the favor back.
PS – You all have to remember that English is not my native language.