You're always a Dad

Mark Padgett · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Feb 13, 2002, 12:02pm

Last night, on my way home from the office, I stopped off to do some shopping. My cell phone rang and it was my wife telling me the following: "Josh (our son) just called. He has a 5:45 game at Tigard gym #2 and he forgot to take his shoes to work with him today (he goes straight to early games from work). Can you somehow get some shoes over to him before his game?" It was now 5:20.

I had four choices. The first was "no", but I thought I'd try anyway. The second was to go to his apartment and get his shoes, but just getting there was a 20 minute drive one-way. The third was to buy him shoes at the store where I was (Costco), but they didn't have any even close to all black. I chose the fourth option. I drove home like a maniac, grabbed an old pair of my shoes and then drove like a maniac to the gym. I got there at 5:43.

He saw me and came over to put on the shoes. The ones he had on were black and white with white laces. I asked him where he got them and he said, "you don't want to know."

Anyway, I stayed to watch his (freshman) game. It was really close the whole way and the home team came from a few points behind to win by three. The visitors missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied it. After the game, I asked him how he could have allowed the possibility of an overtime, as that goes against everything I ever taught him.

He said, "I told my partner that if it went into overtime it would be his fault, but he just shrugged."

I told Josh he could keep the shoes, and that he should keep them in the trunk of his car. He said that was OK as long as his girlfriend didn't see them because then she would think he was a dork.

Josh is 21, but it's nice to know that when he needs help he still calls his mom and dad.

dblref · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Feb 13, 2002, 01:17pm

You are right, always a Dad! My younger son is 26 and is with us "temporarily" since July of last year -- he is buying a house, but not quite ready. He officiated soccer with me for 3-4 years and just got tired of the "parents" on the sidelines. He never quite developed the thick skin needed to officiate. I used to tell him to make the coach take care of his sideline, but he didn't like the advesarial (?sp) thing. Too bad, he was a good official. Wish I could talk him into basketball.

Mark Padgett · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Feb 13, 2002, 03:32pm

Quote:

Originally posted by dblref
Wish I could talk him into basketball.

Tell him he's always in a warm gym, away from the weather, doesn't get rained on or heatstroke, the courts are way smaller than a soccer field and that he always has water fountains and indoor toilets.

That should do it. I know it worked for me.

ripian · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Feb 13, 2002, 03:37pm

My Dad got me into ref'n about 10 years ago, my youngest brother about 7 years ago and the middle brother 3 years ago. I'm 26 years old in a month and live away from home separated by about 200 miles from my parents. The middle brother is finishing University about 400 miles from home. The youngest still lives there.

I haven't worked with any of my family since I moved away but about 2 weeks ago the local nominations for the provincal HS championships were put forward to the provincal board. As it turns out the youngest is ref'n at the 2A Boys championships in the north and Dad, myself and the middle are all working at the 3A Girls championships in the south this year.

Dad and I talk every second or third day about ball and everything else. So thanks Dad for getting me into ref'n!