As Father's Day Nears

With Father’s Day approaching this weekend, I appreciated an e-mail I got recently from my eldest son Greg. Under the subject heading ‘Your Job Is Done’ he asked, “I’ll bet that’s how you feel, right? I know I would.” He was saying that because his brother had just graduated from college and had accepted a job out east.

I’m not sure the job of a father is ever really done, at least the worrying part, but with Scott poised to begin life on his own I can at least take a deep breath.

Now I can witness as Greg finds out firsthand what fatherhood is all about. And it seems like his son Grant is going through a sensitive phase right now at four months plus. At least with me. If I as much as frown in his direction or raise my voice a decibel above Mr. Rogers from Mr. Rogers neighborhood it throws the little guy into a lengthy crying spell.

Grandma Wendy does much better with Grant than I do. So it was funny this past Saturday when Wendy had to leave while babysitting the little guy, leaving him with me and Uncle Scott. Grant and Scott actually get along pretty well but Scott’s nervous watching him without an experienced caretaker present. And I'm not sure Scott thinks I qualify.

Not more than a few minutes after Wendy left, Greg called.

“Let me talk to mom,” he said

“She’s not here,” I said, explaining how she had gone to her sister’s. I could sense a little bit of concern growing in Greg’s voice as he asked how Grant was doing with just his uncle and grandpa there. I passed the question along to Scott who was trying to keep Grant entertained in his little bouncy chair.

“I don’t know,” Scott replied and I passed that along to Greg.

“I’ll be there in 30 minutes,” Greg responded, the time it would take to get from his own hometown to where we were.

Happy Father’s Day, Greg. Heh, heh. The first of many to come.