People!
Dad was here. I’m happy I have the opportunity to assess the current distance between apple and tree.
I made it through, and you know what? It was good. It was nice to hang out with him for a couple of days. I don’t think I could’ve made it more than that but I was able to deal with him for that amount of time a not get sucked into the misery/worry vortex that is his mind.
I must be getting a bit more forgiving as I get older. I think that should happen naturally. Who has the energy to maintain lifelong resentments after a certain point? I mean, a couple of little ones, sure. Not big ones. I think the fact that I have become somewhat successful in what I do tempers my problems with him and also makes his innate attempts at diminishing me or dismissing me a bit impotent, which is good. Bottom line though, he is proud and in awe of what I have done and that is nice.
He is also getting older. When you don’t see your dad for a year or two and he’s in his seventies it can be jarring when you do. He’s going to be 80 this year. He and his wife and I went on a little hike with a very small incline and he just couldn’t handle it. It really hit me that he’s fragile and old. So, I didn’t make him hike or make him feel bad about not being able to do it like he might have done to me when I was younger. I should’ve. Kidding. There’s always some part of your brain that keeps your parents where they were when you were a kid. Now the reality of where he is at is bigger. I felt it. I’m glad he is still around and we can spend time together now. Again, two days max but I am glad.
I’m also realizing things about him that I don’t think I saw the same way years ago. He’s an envelope pusher, a risk taker. I always knew him to be a bit manic and impulsive, irresponsible, which could appear like he was taking risks, but I don’t think he ever put much thought into it. I now know differently. Listen to today’s show for the story.
Today and Thursday I talk to people who have been on the show and who I thought were going to be short talks on different episodes but they turned out to be medium talks and we paired them up. David Sedaris and Bo Burnham today and Sue Costello and Jim Gaffigan on Thursday.
Enjoy!
Boomer lives!
Love,
Maron