Be careful what you ask for, parents!

Recently, last week I believe, I wrote about a trip Sandy and I took to Chicago to enjoy the opening bout of the season for the Windy City Rollers. Our illustrious PhD of a daughter is employed part time for the Manic Attackers as a jammer, blocker and/or explosives expert. That part is beside the point, as I spoke in painful depth of that experience in my last entry. After I wrote it I was rechecking it. I had written toward the end how many of the girls seemed a little disappointed that their own parents didn't get out to see more of the bouts. After rereading this part I said to myself "Self, I wonder how folks in other walks of life feel about attending their child's work or extra curricular activities." For instance, did Luca Brasi regret not having his folks around to watch him "enforcing" for Don Corleone? And if the proud Brasi's had been able to watch their son in action I am pretty sure I know how it would have looked.

Mr. Brasi: "Luca, Luca, Luca! How many times do I have to tell you, the bullet goes BEHIND THE EAR!"

Mrs. Brasi: "SHUT UP! LEAVE HIM ALONE! CAN'T YOU JUST BE SUPPORTIVE FOR ONCE? There, there, Luca darling. If you want to put that bullet through that bad man's eye ball, you go ahead and put it through his eye ball, sweetheart. How about some nice fish for supper?"

etc., At least that's how it would go if it were my family. Or how about maybe Custer's folks?

Mrs. Custer: "When are we gonna just stop and ask for directions, Georgie? Why don't you ask those nice Indians over there?"

Or some others?

Vince Lombardi's Folks on a fall Sunday afternoon in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Mr. Lombardi: "You want my opinion son, give Taylor the ball every time! That Hornung guy is just a pretty boy. Besides, I think he likes to gamble!"

Mrs. Lombardi: "My God, Vinnie, can't you get a decent color scheme? Green and yellow? You know you're going to catch your death if you go out and stand on those sidelines when it's below zero out there!"

Or Hillary Rodham's folks:

Mrs. Rodham: "Hillary, when are you going to stop all this lawyering and politics slop and find a nice boy, settle down and give us some grandkids? How about that nice Bill Clinton fella, he seems like such a nice young man. Very honest and trustworthy, don't you think?"

Mr. Rodham: "Clinton?! Are you out of your mind? Mark my words, that boy is trouble and besides, I think he smokes that wacky tobacky. You hook up with him, Hillary and your out of the will!"

And so on. Anyway, I think my kids have got the idea. We'll let the folks know about the important stuff. Well, eventually anyway. "Oh yeah, I quit my job!" or "By the way, I'm going to be on a roller derby team." Some things parents are just better off not being involved with.

Love
Dad