Still the Dad

Sunday night Wifey and I went out to dinner with old friends Mike and Loni, whose daughter is a sophomore as USC and son a junior in high school. Loni wanted to know how it felt to be true empty nesters...We said it felt fine.

Of course, in our generation of helicopter parenting, the empty nest is never really empty. I know that when I turned 18, I truly felt adult and independent, even though I spent summers with my parents at their condo. Once I started grad school, there was no chance I was ever going back.

In Wifey's case, she moved out and was independent, but always knew her parents were a lifeboat. Sure enough, after Wifey's roommate was the victim of a crime, back in December of '83, Wifey moved back into her parents' house. She was 27.

So we're IChatting with D2 on Sunday night, when she tells us that her sister was sick, with the "worst sore throat of her life." Sure enough, D1 started emailing me, including a photo showing a thermometer reading of 99.9 degrees!

D1 is just like Wifey: when she's sick, she wants attention and nurturing. D2 is more like me --when we're sick, we want to be left the hell alone, to either recover or die...

I was driving to the office, and near Coconut Grove, got a text from D1. She had made an appointment with our friend Dr. Dave, but was too faint to drive...

Dad sprung into action. I called and told her I'd pick her up, which I did, and drove her to Dr. Dave. Sure enough, he peeked at her tonsils and said "Whoa --that's a mess!" He suspects strep, though the rapid test was negative. He put her on antibiotics, pending the results of the regular strep test...

I took D1 home, and made her tea and put her to bed. Wifey undertook the role of the traditional Jewish mother, with the modern twist: she stopped by a deli for hot chicken soup...

So D1 is here, recuperating. She and Wifey are watching "Millionaire Matchmaker." I've warned them that a viewer loses 5 IQ points for every hour spent watching that mindless drivel. I'll head to the office later.

My friend Norman posted on Facebook (tm) that all 3 of his sons are back at their schools. I felt his relief though the post. But he knows his work is still in progress, and will be forever.

To be a Dad is always to be a Dad...