Danny and Mary Anne O'Day stay in touch with their Son Randy by telephone. Randy lives in another country and they call him every Sunday night using their home phone.
"Hey RanRan, how's it going?"
"Good."
"How's the weather?
"Good."
"How's the GrandKids?"
"Good."
"Well RanRan, I guess that about covers it."
"Ya everything is pretty much the same."
"Hey Randy, do you remember when you were around 5 years old and you lost your first baby tooth?
"No."
"We told you to put it underneath your pillow and said that the Tooth Fairy would stop by and leave you a dollar bill and take the tooth."
"Well Dad, it's not a clear memory, I think I kinda remember."
"Well, after you fell asleep, we got the tooth and left a dollar bill. Your Mom took the tooth put it in a little white box."
At breakfast the next morning you said, "Guess what Dad! The tooth fairy left me a dollar."
I smiled and said, "That was nice of the Tooth Fairy. You need to put that in your little bank and save it up."
A few months later your new puppy dog Jelly Bean lost a tooth and you told me that you wanted to keep it. I told you to go ask your Mom.
You went and told Mom.
Mom said, "If you want to keep it let me wash it again and make sure there are no germs on it."
It did not occur to us that you would put Jelly Bean's tooth under your pillow.
The next morning at breakfast you said, "Dad guess what?"
"What?" I asked.
"You can't fool the tooth fairy."
"Really?"
"Ya, I put Jelly Bean's tooth under my pillow and the Tooth Fairy never gave me any money."
"Right, you can't fool the tooth fairy."
I am glad that we didn't know what you were doing.
"Hey Dad, I just remembered."
"What?"
"One day, I remember finding a little white box full of teeth. I thought I was going to get lots of money. I put them all under my pillow."
"When I woke up, I had a bunch of teeth stuck to my back. I put them all back in the box and put the box back where I found it."
"That is so funny. Anything else?"
"Actually, I did have a question Dad?"
"About what?"
"Have you thought about getting rid of your home phone, to save money?"
"I thought about it briefly."
"And your decision?"
"I am keeping it."
"Why?"
"I never have to run around the house looking for it. I see it every day, it's right where I keep my medications."
"Besides, if I am in the middle of an emergency, I won't be in any condition to be running around looking for a lost cell phone."
"I never thought about that. But now that you mention it, a couple of times I had Kloey call mine so I could find it.
"That happened to me once. I wanted to take an afternoon nap, so I turned off the ringer and left on the buzzer feature."
"Later that night, I wanted to set the alarm for my morning Doctor's appointment and I couldn't find my phone."
"I grabbed your Mom's phone and called mine. It went to voice mail and didn't ring."
"It took me another 10 minutes of running around trying to hear the buzzing."
"Didn't Mom help you look for it."
"No, she started the same old lecture about me needing a hearing test."
"Where did you find it?"
"Under a bunch of papers on the kitchen table."
"Did Mom say anything about you needing a memory test?"
"Don't be giving her any ideas now Randy. Listen, I think it's about time we wrap things up. I'll call you again next week."
"OK. Later Dad."
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Waiting for Santa
3 minute read
On another weekly call, with RanRan, Danny asked, "Hey, do you remember when you were going to wait up for Santa?
Not really.
I came home after work and saw a bunch of presents lined up in the living room next to the Christmas tree.
I asked your Mom about it and she said, "He is getting everything lined up so he can open them."
During supper I asked, "Hey little Buddy, are you ready for Santa's visit?"
"Ya, I'm gonna stay up so I can say HI to Santa Claus."
"Well I don't think that's a good idea because Santa likes everybody sleeping so he can do his work without being bothered.
"OK Dad, I won't bother him, I will only say 'HI Santa.'"
"We'll see."
"Dad, how come you always say we'll see."
"Because, it is easier than saying No."
Christmas Eve finally arrived and there you were sitting in a chair facing the front door.
You started getting sleepy and your head was nodding trying to keep awake. You finally fell asleep.
I came over and tried to wake you up. I told you that it was time to go to bed.
You started squirming around and said, "No, I want to say HI to Santa."
I went back to watching TV and waited for you to fall asleep again.
When you did, I grabbed one of your presents that you had lined up and put it outside near the front door.
I came back in and woke you up, saying, "Hey RanRan, wake up, I think Santa. left you something."
You woke up looking confused and I said, "Look! Santa left you a gift by the front door."
Sleepily, you replied, "I thought I saw him."
I went out to get it and acted like it was real heavy. As I was half dragging and half lifting, I heard you say very slowly "Holy ----."
Trying to keep a straight face and not laughing I said, "Well, if you start talking like that, Santa won't be stopping by next year."
Then your Mom responded, as she often does, "It's your fault."
"Whaduya mean? It's your fault."
"He is just repeating what you say all the time."
"Hey, I don't say that all the time. Only when something serious is going wrong."
"Ya, like every other day."
"Yes Dear, remember it is Christmas Eve."
TrashTalkin
1 minute 15 second read
On another weekly call, with RanRan, Danny asked, "Hey, do you remember when Mom kicked the chair from underneath you while you were talking to your girlfriend?"
"Ya. It made me mad back then but now it seems kinda funny."
It was funny for me back then.
I'm washing the dishes and you are leaning against the wall with your chair on two legs.
You didn't know Mom could hear you talking to your girlfriend.
You bravely said, "My Mom is so mean."
Your Mom came racing into the kitchen like a tornado and kicked the chair out from underneath you. I had never seen such a surprised look on your face.
You stood up like a young deer in headlights.
Your lips were asking WHY and not a sound was coming out. Your arms were stretched out, your face was contorted and you were shaking your head.
"Well, I didn't want my girlfriend to hear me."
Do you remember what your Mom said?
"Ya. she said, I don't want you lying to your girlfriend."
Did you learn anything from that?
"Ya, make sure Mom is not close by if I am showing off by trash talkin and saying something bad."
OK then, I'll be calling next week.
"Later Dad."
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