Previously Posted

I originally wrote this for my dad 6/18/06:

HAPPY
FATHER'S
DAY

...for those to whom it applies.

Then again, we all had dads. If you are still able to do so, don't forget to call him today.

My conversations with my dad on Father's Day (and most other phone calls) went something like this:

{{ring}}
"Hello"
"Hi, Dad. Happy Father's Day!"
"Hello. How are you?"
"Fine. How about you?"
"Fine. Job going ok?"
"Yes. [Some blah blah about work, or whatever] How are you feeling, really?"
"Nothing to worry about. [A short dissertation of his current projects, or complaints about food he's not allowed to eat]"
"Mom ok?"
"Sure. You want to talk to her?"
"Are we done?"
"Yep. Here's Mom."

If Mom wasn't home, after our short discussion, Dad would invariably say, "Well, I don't want to run up your phone bill, so we should say goodbye." Our calls never, ever, EVER, lasted more than 5 minutes, unless I was melting down about something. He'd stay on a little longer then, but eventually he'd shove me off on Mom to finish the Bolstering Up of the Freaked-Out One.

I really miss our short talks.

I've missed him and our weird conversations now for 17.5 years.