I'm sure my father and I have eaten alone before but I honestly can't remember when just the two of us went to dinner...just us. First we headed to the model air show where we watched pilots and their aircraft do dips and dives over a field. This was a tradition started years ago that has since faded off until today. Only this time there were no children and no Mom. Just Cookie and Chester. It was sunny and fun but it definitely felt like it was missing a little something.
Then we headed to a restaurant where we caught up a little bit on life. I realized how quiet the table was with just the two of us. We tend to be the listening ones at the table. Two "listeners" make for a quiet meal. He did throw in a little something here and there about my Mom. How they would drive down this road or eat at that restaurant...etc. I feel very helpless in these moments.
My father has done a great deal for me through the years. He was the most dedicated man a family could ask for. I try very hard to connect him to us as much as I can. I make sure we tend to his needs and keep him company but today I just felt sorry that I couldn't give him back the people that he misses so. There were days when the table was so full we had to take turns...and today there were two of us and a few chairs taunting us as they sat empty. It was bittersweet. We had a nice time being the two mellow goofballs that we are...give a man some ribs and his vanilla ice cream and all is good with the world...at least for a bit, anyway.
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