Dear Friends,
Keeping this brief today because, well, I feel like it. What a nice morning. My dad and I played nine holes at the nearby public course and then had a great breakfast at Otro Café. It was a great way to start the day, even if my driver was still fast asleep on the first hole. My game came around over the course of the morning and Dad played well, too. It’s been a blast seeing his game come back to him.
We were joined by an interesting fellow named Tony who was out for a little exercise, too. Tony was a tall guy with a long goatee and was missing a few teeth. One of the first things he told us was how expensive his clubs were as we were getting ready to play our first balls. Not sure why we needed to know that.
For the most part, Tony was an excellent companion on the journey and played pretty well. He made a few comments on the last couple of holes that let us in on the fact that maybe he wasn’t the most accepting person in the world, but apparently, we were the right color and sexual orientation to pass Tony’s muster.
I thought about making a retaliatory comment to him after one of his remarks but decided to keep it light and breezy on Father’s Day. Tony will learn tolerance, I think, based on some of the things he shared with us. For his sake, I hope he does. Fear is such a powerful thing. To think of a big, gregarious guy being afraid of people who are different than him is just sad.
On the whole, though, Tony is a tiny blip on what was a great morning for Dad and me. I’m so grateful for the place we are today in our relationship and hope that others out there who might need a little help bridging some gaps can find a way to do so. Life is too short to stay mad about things for too long. I know this now.
*****
Today is also my mom’s birthday. I’ll be seeing her in a little bit and possibly doing some roller skating. I think it seems like a good time to fall on my butt. I might chicken out. Who knows? Either way, it will be nice to celebrate some with her today and see Ryan and Bree and my step-dad.
I wrote a bunch about my mom last year and I am happy to say that she seems like she is in a pretty good place right now, all things considered. I feel like she and my grandmother have mended some fences. This type of thing is so hard, but I know it is good for each of their souls. I hope they can find even more peace with each other before too long. That is my birthday wish for them both.
*****
The Suns got Bradley Beal today. That’s fucking crazy. Chris Paul/Landry Shamet and some 2nd round picks for Bradley Beal. They may be making more moves, but if they have Ayton, Durant, Booker, and Beal as part of their starting five, wow! They are going to be tough to outscore on most nights. If those guys can be healthy for the playoffs, who can stop them?
We shall see what happens…
So much for being brief. Enjoy the day, dads!
See you tomorrow.
Seems like a fitting day for a picture of The Father Figures. Photo by Neb Zehcnas.