Father's Day Revisited

For a long time now, never mind how long precisely, there were no fathers day parades in my home town. And I am one. This year we had a parade, finally! I wouldn’t have noticed or given it much thought, as in my yesteryear, had it not been for my divorce, and to top it off, following after like a dragons tail; my child support. (the judge opened the gate) That's what really focused my feelings and made me sensitive to the matter. It shed light, with burning intensity, I might add, on the family affair as a whole for me, and how bias it has become.

And I find it ironic that Father's day falls on a Gemini month every year. For it is a person under this birthday that destroyed my little family. And destroyed any hopes of my Daughter and I getting back together, or at least damaging any of our communication efforts in the future.  I mean, this is the first Father's Day that I did not receive a card, a call, an email, or even a fucking face book entry ! Isn't that just so special.

Every year the local news paper is chuck-full of pictures of the mothers day parade, and announcements on the radio, as I can recall. It was damn near the coverage a visit from somebody in office would be granted.

Obviously other dads, either in my situation or their own, have caught the drift of this unfairness and finally opened their mouth. Which is good. So I didn’t have to. Heaven knows I’ve gotten ‘spanked’ for opening my mouth. Possibly the root of my problems. As to why I’ve become more shut-mouth and reserved. But it’s not to say my eyes have to be shut as well. In fact I’ve gotten quite keen in my perception in picking out this 'gender competition' to rule.


And there’s plenty out there, not just the news paper; there's a group of TV commercials to choose from, I found, that ‘down-play’ the other spouse in order to sell a product. One is always smarter than the other, cleaner than the other, fatter than the other, richer then the other. One is always keeping a secret from the other, and has to meet with their buddies later to get it off their chest. Think I'm kidding, go to the mall and sit, and listen. It won't take you long to hear one parent controlling the other, belittling the other in front of the children. And, sorry gals out there, it's usually the women. Eight or nine chances out of ten; it's the women that really wears the pants in the family, or eventually she will get to that position.

As to why or when it started to happen; there's probably a National Geographic special on it, It would be interesting I'm sure, and it would most likely bring up that there's a rise in the female population in our prisons, the rise of women getting heart attacks, etc. - I really don't care. All I know is; there wasn't a Fathers day parade, now there is one. And my daughter surprised me this year and drove in from Ohio to give me the best FD Day present ever - her. I'll always love Sarah very much. And all is well. The scars have healed as if there wasn't a wound in the first place. Now we have to get ready if we want good seats at the parade. Maybe we'll see you there. She'll be the one with the tee-shirt saying, 'Daddy's the Bestus.' .... yea, right ..... only in my dreams.

But hey, you got a card or something from your child on this day, that's super good. Treasure this moment. There are other Fathers out there who see a different picture or go to a different parade.