You're Not Cute!
September 23, 1998
6:30 a.m.
Trauma arrived in my life last night. I've been working with Brigid on a web site for her occasionally for the past, gosh, years I guess. Her attention span isn't condusive to site development, and I don't intend to do it for her. Anyway, we worked on it last night. She wanted to add a new page titled "Cute Guys in My Life and in My School". Aaaaeeeeeeee! So, after putting my psychic hair back into my psychic skull, I calmly said "Okay, so let's figure out where Daddy goes on this list." I pause here to make a comment. My grandfather grew up on a country farm in northern Indiana, and he lived there--still working in the yard--until he died at the age of something like 86. He taught me how to fish. He taught me you shouldn't catch a fish you're not prepared to clean. I still have his old jack knife sitting out in the garage somewhere. Back to Brigid: "You're not cute, Daddy!" she said, her face filled with impending teen-agedom--then quickly noting my crestfallen countenance (only partially put on), she put her hand on my arm and quickly followed up. "Well, you are cute in a family sort of way." I smiled. Why do little girls have to grow up? But then I looked at her. Sincerity rode her expression, and her gaze had depth that maybe it hadn't in the past. Or maybe I'm just now getting around to seeing it. She's my little girl, though, and she always will be. And her expression that moment told me what I needed to know. How can I explain that expression? She knows it. She's my little girl. And I'm her Daddy. That's what her expression carried. So I laughed, and we turned our attention to making the list. Life goes on.   This morning I finished what I think is the final rewrite of what was Laura Resnick's and my story. However, when I sent it to her, she replied by saying it was strong as it was, and that she had nothing really to add but a small polish. So she contacted the folks at the anthology and asked if I could submit it alone. They said sure. So now I'm flying solo. eep.  Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins |
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"You don't raise heroes; you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll grow up to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes." Walter Schirra, Sr. |
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