(no subject)

Good day to be a father

This morning... I'm in the shower. Door opens. I don't even have to ask who it is.

Storm: Dad, will you go through the breakfast line with me?
(She's referring to the cafeteria at school. All kids can have free breakfast if they get there early enough.)
Me: I have to go to work after I drop you off.
Storm: But there isn't any Lorelei today. (referring to the fact that it's Lorelei's first day of school and she took the bus) Lots of Moms go through the breakfast line.
Me: They probably don't have bosses waiting on them.
Storm: [quiet]
Storm: [moping] I want you to go... [then brightens] I'll tell him you died.
Me: What?
Storm: You call your boss on the phone, because I don't know his numbers, and then you can give it to me and you don't talk to him. And he'll say hello and I'll say you died and you have to go to the breakfast line with me.
Me: Calling in dead huh? Think that will work?
Storm: [real matter of fact] Yeah.
Me: You don't think he'll suspect?
Storm: He will believe it because I won't laugh and I'll use this face. Dad, look at my face.
(I stick my head out of the shower. She's sticking her lower lip out in pout.)
Me: That looks pretty sad.
Storm: He will be sad but its okay because I'll tell him not to worry because you won't be dead tomorrow.
Me: People usually don't get un-dead.
Storm: There is magic juice in breakfast. It's grape. If you drink it you aren't dead anymore.
Me: OKAY OKAY, I'LL GO. But don't tell my boss I'm dead, he might use it as an excuse not to pay me.
Storm: Yay!! (jumps up and down)
Me: Okay. Would you shut the..
(footsteps run out)

So I went to breakfast line. I told her I didn't know where to go, so she would have to show me. She took my hand, and led me through the lunchroom. Some of her little friends would see her and get up and give her a hug. Others she walked up behind and tugged on their shirts. I got introduced to about a dozen kids. "This is my Daddy." One little girl with straight black hair gave me the once over, and proclaimed "He looks good." and went back to eating. I should qualify she did not mean it as handsome, but as in an appraisal of "Daddyness".

Anyway, I get to go through the line, help reach a napkin, try but fail to identify the breaded fried... thing... and we go back to sit down. She finds a spot and sits and starts talking to her friends. I figure that's my cue. I give her one of those parental mugging hugs and smooch the top of her head, and tell her I'll see her later and I love her whole big bunches. She turns to me with her "under her breath" look and says "Dad, not HERE." "Oops, sorry sweetie. Have a good day." "Okay." She's back talking to her friends.

I turn to walk away but part of my shirt wants to stay behind. I look behind me. A little blond boy, who was previously stabbing at his eggs viciously with a spoon, has ahold of my shirt. "Hello" I say. "Are you Storm's Daddy?" "Yep, all the time." He gives me an exasperated, sad look. "Would you cut my eggs?"

You bet I would.

Man that's a great way to start the day.

To make it even better, I got to meet Lorelei as she came home from her first day of middle school. She was bouncy and glowing, very excited and happy. She talked a mile a minute. Her chorus teacher is nice, a boy stood up for her, there are kids she knows in her class, and on, and on, and on. :)

I can't explain how much I love these two.