$50 Well spent...

I’ve seen a version of this story floating around and thought about it for a minute. How would this story look if the political spin wasn’t present? More importantly, what would I like my daughter to do in this situation?

Thanks to the original author for starting me thinking.

Recently, while I was working in the flower beds in the front yard, my neighbors stopped to chat as they returned home from walking their dog. During our friendly conversation, I asked their little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President someday. With both of her parents standing there, I asked her, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?" She replied... "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people." Her parents beamed with pride! "Wow...what a worthy goal!" I said. "But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that!" I told her. "What do you mean?" she replied. So I told her, "You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and I'll pay you $50. Then you can go over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out and give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house." She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and said, "Great, I can come by once a week and do all the work I can for you, and help one person at a time.” Smiling she walked away with her parents, and I wondered why couldn’t I do something like that? Sometimes children see things so simply…

Professional Driver

Professional driver. Closed course, please do not attempt.

This is a disclaimer that really makes me think.

Maybe you’ve seen it on any number of car commercials? Do we really need this reminder?

My favorite is a truck ad that has a truck climbing this huge steel cork screw of a structure in the middle of the dessert. And the top third of this corkscrew has a “fire carwash”. Literally a long tunnel that looks like a carwash but instead of water, flames bath the truck. I mean this behemoth has got to be about seventy-five to one hundred feet tall. And when the truck emerges there is, waiting at the top, is a crane with a fire hose attached to cool the truck off. As the truck makes its way up, there is a thermometer showing how hot it really is inside the tunnel, and a voice talking about “how hot the tranny is”, (I won’t even tell you what I’m thinking about with that statement).

Now, what I’m thinking is, if you wanted to construct a one-hundred foot tall steel corkscrew in the middle of the dessert that leisurely drive through a “fire carwash”, with a waiting crane mounted fire hose and someone talking about a “hot tranny”…than I say do it. Even if it is for your own reasons (and I’m sure you have them). Why should fun like this only be had by professionals?

Other commercials show cars, trucks, three-wheel motor things cruising down the road-just driving. And there it is… professional driver. Please do not attempt. Now, correct if I’m wrong, but aren’t they trying to sell these things that are made to drive? But if you are not a professional you must purchase said vehicle and park it until you become a “professional driver”. That doesn’t seem realistic to me. If you purchase the vehicle could you drive it on a “closed course”? Or, do you still need to be a professional?

How about the one with a plain white truck and a runner? The runner is billed as “the fastest American marathoner”. As the truck starts driving the runner approaches a series of gadgets loaded with arrows. The truck driver has a nervous look on his face because as the runner steps on the “trigger” arrows start shooting at the truck. Every stride the runner launches another set of arrows. There must be a thousand arrows flying at this truck. And when the arrows stop flying, the runner and the truck come to a stop. As the camera pulls back we can all see that the arrows were strategically set up to fire these arrows in the pattern of a sneaker.  What is the most amazing thing? There is no disclaimer about professional driver or closed course or do not attempt. So I guess the thinking here is, if you are “Americas fastest marathoner” than you can shoot arrows at a truck in the middle of a dessert as long as it is in a cool pattern of a shoe.

All this really makes me think, what happened to us? Have we gotten so stupid that we need to be reminded not to do these things? Or, possibly the true message, do we need more professional drivers?   

Snuggy

  So the other night we all went to Bella's school fair. It was a beautiful night, warm with a cool breeze-a perfect night for a fair. Earlier Bella asked if her friend Kayla could come with us (Kayla used to attend this school but has since relocated). We of course said that would be fine.

The scene was what you would expect-loud...screaming people shouting over the way too loud PA speakers, lines for everything, even the face painting. I mean the line for face painting was about forty-five minutes! No way we were going to get our faces painted tonight. Bella and Kayla were given a few tickets each (no cash, tickets for everything) and asked if they could walk around.

That's when it first dawned on me, we were in her element. Watching, from a distance, Kayla was saying hello to friends she hasn't seen in a while, with Bella acting as memory helper and kind of hanging back and letting everything happen. As time passed she and Kayla would routinely stop by for some more tickets and then they would wonder around like they were at an exclusive cocktail party. Not wanting to spend all there time with one friend or group they continued with their polite hellos and then kindly move on. Abby and I were just watching and smiling.

Towards the end of the night as we made our way to the exit, with one quick stop at the bake sale table we enjoyed some cookies. Walking back to the car, Kayla and Bella were talking and talking and talking. Somehow I knew this wasn't going to be the end of their night. When we pulled in front of Kayla's house to drop her off, Abby and the girls got out and I waited. And sure enough out come Abby and Bella asking if she could spend the night? Still sitting in the truck I play the Dad role and ask "are you sure it's okay?"  Bella just leans her chin on my are and looks up and says "pleeeease". I asked Abby if she was going to come back and drop off clothes, and she said Bella could were Kayla's, and they were just going to hang out and then go swimming tomorrow. Then I asked the always important question, "what about Snuggy?"

Snuggy is her best buddy, a small white (was white) teddy bear that she had everywhere. She would take on her trips back East to visit the Grand parents, to trips to see Aunt Chrissy-everywhere. When she would go on the plane, Snuggy would have to be in her carry-on with his head sticking out (so he could breathe). Abby would have to wash it every so often because it would get all grungy and matted down looking. And to try and get some of the fluff back in his "skin", the fluff however was long gone. Snuggy was it.

Bella, still with her chin on my arm, said " na, that's okay."

My heart sank, this is the exact moment that she grew a little. She didn't need Snuggy. My little Peanut was growing every day and this was a milestone. I said okay, gave her a kiss and waited for Abby to come back out. As I sat there I tried to hold back the tears. Most milestones in a child's growth are celebrated-starting to crawl, sleeping through the night, walking, riding a bike, swimming, they are all great and as parents we couldn't be prouder, happier or more supportive. But this, this was hurting me. I didn't want her to grow this fast. I knew it was going to happen, but I'm not ready. I want her to need Snuggy a little while longer. I needed her to need Snuggy longer.

As Abby was getting in the car I was hoping that she would say she will be bringing Snuggy back, but she didn't. She only noticed my silence and asked if everything was okay? I couldn't even talk, all I could say was Bella. We drove the rest of the way home in silence.

As with all of Bella's milestones, she reached them when she was ready. Not me, not Abby, not anyone. And now she was ready for this...on her terms. I will always be proud and happy and supportive for this and all her future milestones.

 But this one still hurts...

First time.

After some gentle prodding to start getting some of my thoughts out there-here goes.

I am not quite sure how any of this will happen, or what will be written but, I have a lot of "things" in my head.

Some things I will be considering are; family, friends, food, humor, sports, and food.

Family and friends are central to me, family close and friends far. From things that have happened to future plans and dreams.

Sports, like family, is one of my favorite things. I am past the age to participate (and out of shape) but I can still appreciate the competitiveness and challenges involved.

Humor is a funny one (see what I did there?) my sense of humor my be considered by some as crude or sophomoric, but that's what makes me laugh. If we can't laugh at ourselves we laugh at others. That may have come out wrong.

My passion for food will most likely be the most common subject. Food...I love it, cooking, talking, and eating. Talking about this subject is what will lead to the (hopeful) creation and marketing of my very own cookbook.


Stay tuned...