To The Paternity Club

I was out of town for Mother’s Day.  I am always out of town as it concerns my mother.  But in this case, I’d taken a friend and a guest who were in town out to Western Hunan.  I remember getting a text the night before from my sister.  “Remember.”  I know.  I know.  And I called her first and then I checked in with my wife.  Couldn’t connect.  But I reached my daughters.  “Remember.”  “We know.  We know.” 

This morning I got a message from the same friend who’d been here last month.  We wished each other a grand Father’s Day, commenting on what a good job each other had done to raise fine children.  He’d had a recent glimpse at mine, so this felt a bit more informed that it might otherwise have been. 

And it dawned on me that another dear friend would be experiencing his first Father’s Day a father, back home.  He and his wife who had waited for what seemed an interminable period of time with more than one false start, had finally, suddenly adopted a little boy, setting sail on this journey of a lifetime.  I wrote him, with a cc’ to our mutual chum whom I’d just written welcoming him, this year for the first time, to the paternity club. 

About half way through the afternoon, my little one remembered to wish me a Happy Father’s Day.  She must have told her sister for not long after my older one mentioned it in passing as well.  My wife had a busy day, just like I did and after inspecting what it was I was making for dinner she stopped and expressed her best wishes to me for a Happy Father’s Day, as well. 

On Wechat with another dad-friend down in Perth I asked him if he’d been properly feted.  “No.  We celebrate the day earlier in the year.”   “Is that right?”  I didn’t think to ask if they call it a “Hallmark” holiday down under.  Perhaps a different company stands to benefit from all those cards purchased. 

Sunday 6/17/18