Wednesday, May 28, 2014

May 2014 Update


NNAOPP
May 2014

C- Grandfathering

A few weeks ago Lucy asked if I would be interested in accompanying 5-year old Waverly and her pre-K classmates to an event at Royal's stadium.  I quickly accepted the welcomed task.  There would be a morning educational weather program at the stadium followed by an afternoon game against the Rockies.  Lucky me, thought I.

Here are two different versions of what transpired.  First, from my vantage:

At the appointed hour, I picked up Waverly, and we drove to the stadium.  It was a chilly blustery morning, but we were dressed for the occasion.  We chatted amiably on the drive, and arrived to see hundreds of busloads of children from all over the metro area.  We walked into the lower level and began searching for our group.  Finding no one, and since it was open seating, we sat two rows behind the visitor's dugout.  We snuggled under a blanket and watched four skillful skydivers land gracefully in the outfield grass.  We doffed our hats, held our hands over our hearts, and sang the national anthem.  We were well situated when a local weatherman started the program.

Then I received a text from the Mom of a classmate telling us where to rendezvous with the remainder of the class.  We relocated, and that was problematic.  Waverly does not like loud noises and crowds, both conditions now being prominent once removed from our preferred seating.  She whimpered as we were greeted by one of the pre-school teachers.  She comforted Waverly and said, "You can sit in my lap if you like." 

Waverly said, "I just want to go with Papa."  And we left.

Walking out of the stadium I encountered a disheveled man who said, "Got any extra tickets?"  I said, "sure," and gave him our two soon-to-be-unused ones.

Then Waverly and I went on to spend some quality time, breakfasting on waffles, going to the grocery store, having a tea party, reading stories, picking flowers in the backyard, and taking a big hike.

I returned her to the bosom of her mother around 3 in the afternoon, and felt pretty darn good about a day well spent.

I called Lucy the next day to check on Charlie's earache and learned of a differing view of our time together:

"What did Waverly have for lunch yesterday?"

Her censorious tone made it perfectly clear she already knew the answer, thus rendering prevarication worse than useless.  So I replied truthfully,  "If memory serves me, I believe she had a donut with chocolate icing and multi-colored sprinkles.  I know she prefers vanilla icing, but none were to be found.  What can you do?  Why do you ask two dogs?"

The response was an exasperated sigh followed by a micro-lecture on the importance of a healthy diet.

"Why did you leave the stadium so early?"

I explained how the crowd and the amplified environs upset the little tyke.

"Dad, she just played you.  That was a school day activity.  You don't just abandon ship because she manipulates you.  We paid good money for those tickets, what did you do with them?"

And I told her.

Even more exasperation, "Great, you enabled a homeless bum to sit in the midst of a group of pre-K kids.   The other Moms will be so pleased."

"I'm certain he was a scalper, and he was going to sell the tickets, surely to some fine citizens."

Ever the teacher, she said, "You get a C- for the day's grandparenting."

Ouch.

*****

I was apparently forgiven for these shortcomings, and a few days later I was once again entrusted with the care of Waverly.  We were walking back to our house from a nearby playground.  We crossed a creek, walked up a steep sidewalk through a tiny forest, and encountered a very lightly traveled side street.  Waverly was holding my hand and said, "Papa, you're kind of old, and I'm kind of young, so I'm going to help you cross the street!"  And she did.

*****

In late April we attended a small family gathering in Carlsbad, CA.  My cousin, and our host, is a retired Marine Corps Clonel and was formerly a fighter pilot with 300+ carrier landings (60% at night) to his credit and a Topgun instructor.  He served as our private docent when we took a tour of the decomissioned aircraft carrier USS Midway located in San Diego harbor.  He shared the following tidbit that I found amusing, "Every pilot on a carrier receives a grade for each landing.   There are five possible ratings.  The highest and best is 'OK'.  The fifth and worst is NAFOD (no apparent fear of death).  Receipt of the latter shortens ones' flying career, one way or another."

*****

I sent a copy of last month's NNAOPP update to the banjo maker who graciously spent the day with me.  I had earlier mailed him a copy of my book along with a thank you note and received the following in reply:

I finished your book shortly after receiving it.  It was very well written, entertaining, and very informative to someone like myself who has never had the desire or courage to travel as you have done.

I seldom know the background of the many visitors who stop by the shop, so I try to keep my approach to them as simple and common as possible. Had I not read your book I would never suspected the degree to which you have accomplished so many things.

One correction is in order.  My advanced schooling was in electronic engineering.

When you travel through Tennessee again, please stop, and we might talk about some of my favorite characters that have graced the world stage, such as Warren Buffet, Armand, Hammer, and Will Rogers.

*****

Sales of NNAOPP continue to trickle in, now eclipsing 1,308 copies.  At the current pace I should reach the 1,500 level well before my 100th birthday.

Chuck