“When We Were Little” Wednesday

When I was little, my poor dad had to find a way to survive in a household where he was outnumbered, women to man, 4 to 1. These are not good odds for a man to find himself in.

We look sweet enough, right? Yeah…funny what pictures can do, huh? Most times were fun enough, but I suspect – strongly – that there were times in which Dad wished – nay, longed – for another man to come along and back him up. We were sensitive, hormonal, emotional, occasionally irrational….I’m sure it was fun.

I can remember times that I, um, wasn’t feeling well (if you catch my drift), and sweet Dad wanted to help….but there was nothing to be done….and once he asked what was wrong, he immediately wished he hadn’t gotten involved. There were times when my heart was broken by a cruel adolescent male, and I’m sure Dad wanted to run out and get the big dork who did that to his daughter; instead, he had to stay back and deal with the tears and collapsing self-esteem that the young man left in his wake. There were times when (older but still) young men came to Dad with nervous looks and sweaty palms, wanting to ask a very important question that Dad had to answer with certainty right then and there. There were times when Dad forked out money for ridiculously astronomically preposterously expensive prom dresses, but he never complained. (Not to us, anyway.)

Dad was – and is – a terrific dad. He handled the drama of a family full of women admirably…which is a good thing, since in our family, the little girls just keep on coming. Fortunately, though, Dad now has some sons-in-law to back him up.