Caller ID
"Christy, this is your father!"
I smile when he says it. Even though he doesn't call much, it's not as if I wouldn't recognize his very distinctive voice on my cell, and it's not as if my cell-phone screen isn't flashing his number and his name, "DAD," in capital letters.
"Hi, Dad." I drop my purse on the bench outside Abby's ballet studio and watch to make sure she gets inside. It's warm, there is a breeze, and I am happy to get a phone call as I wait for my daughter to take one of her many dance classes this week. "What's up?"
"Who sings that song I like from that movie I like?"
"Ben Taylor."
"BEN TAYLOR! Of course!"
"Do you know who wrote it?" he asks.
"Ben Taylor?" I venture. Obviously, I'm a freakish mind-reader, and I'm on a roll.
"Nope. The Beatles," he announces. "See, I remembered that the song was called "I Will," but I could not remember who sang it for the LIFE of me, but on iTunes there were tons of different versions, and I downloaded the original, by the Beatles, plus some cool instrumental version."
"So you now have three versions of "I Will" on your iPod?"
"Cool," said my dad.
Giving my dad an iPod for Father's day a few years ago was dangerous. He may well have already purchased every Four Seasons and Franki Valli hit known to man, with some James Taylor and Billy Joel thrown in as a nod to his time spent raising us in the 70's and 80's. Now there are crazy things happening, like on Spring Break this year, when he said to me at the pool, "Christy, listen to this, I found this great group." He handed me his iPod (set to a volume only known as gigantanormhumungous) and made me listen.
"Dad, I don't know this song."
My younger sister-in-law grabbed the iPod.
"Dad," she said, "that's Feist."
"I know," he grooved. "I saw them on Saturday Night Live and I loved them."
"You don't know Feist?" they both said to me.
"No," I said, lying back in my chair.
"Christy," he said, "listen to the next four Feist songs. You will love them."
"I already have one of those as my ring-tone," said my sister-in-law.
"You guys are too cool for me," I said with my eyes closed. "I have Manilow on my iPod."
"I LOVE Manilow," says my dad.
"You love everything," I say.
By now my dad is doing his dad-dance by the side of the pool with his headphones in, which are really of no use, what with the volume of choice. My kids are laughing. I am laughing. People sitting in their loungers are laughing because there's just something totally cool about a man living in the joy of the moment: loud music, a great song, the laughter of his family, a sunny sky, all of his favorite things. I'm not sure if his Feist phase will last, but I do know the man loves his life, and it shows.
And now, outside of the ballet studio, on my cell, he is telling me more about all the versions of this one song, a song I very much remember hearing with him for the first time, years and years ago, a song he has loved because it is a sweet love song that probably reminds him of my mom. And he called me because he knew I would know from the first words of a crazy cryptic sentence what he was talking about. Honestly, he could have said, "Who sings that song. . ." and I might have known. I don't need caller ID to recognize my dad. I know him by heart.
Note: The song "I Will" is sung by Ben Taylor (son of James Taylor and Carly Simon) and was featured in the movie "Bye Bye Love."
I smile when he says it. Even though he doesn't call much, it's not as if I wouldn't recognize his very distinctive voice on my cell, and it's not as if my cell-phone screen isn't flashing his number and his name, "DAD," in capital letters.
"Hi, Dad." I drop my purse on the bench outside Abby's ballet studio and watch to make sure she gets inside. It's warm, there is a breeze, and I am happy to get a phone call as I wait for my daughter to take one of her many dance classes this week. "What's up?"
"Who sings that song I like from that movie I like?"
"Ben Taylor."
"BEN TAYLOR! Of course!"
"Do you know who wrote it?" he asks.
"Ben Taylor?" I venture. Obviously, I'm a freakish mind-reader, and I'm on a roll.
"Nope. The Beatles," he announces. "See, I remembered that the song was called "I Will," but I could not remember who sang it for the LIFE of me, but on iTunes there were tons of different versions, and I downloaded the original, by the Beatles, plus some cool instrumental version."
"So you now have three versions of "I Will" on your iPod?"
"Cool," said my dad.
Giving my dad an iPod for Father's day a few years ago was dangerous. He may well have already purchased every Four Seasons and Franki Valli hit known to man, with some James Taylor and Billy Joel thrown in as a nod to his time spent raising us in the 70's and 80's. Now there are crazy things happening, like on Spring Break this year, when he said to me at the pool, "Christy, listen to this, I found this great group." He handed me his iPod (set to a volume only known as gigantanormhumungous) and made me listen.
"Dad, I don't know this song."
My younger sister-in-law grabbed the iPod.
"Dad," she said, "that's Feist."
"I know," he grooved. "I saw them on Saturday Night Live and I loved them."
"You don't know Feist?" they both said to me.
"No," I said, lying back in my chair.
"Christy," he said, "listen to the next four Feist songs. You will love them."
"I already have one of those as my ring-tone," said my sister-in-law.
"You guys are too cool for me," I said with my eyes closed. "I have Manilow on my iPod."
"I LOVE Manilow," says my dad.
"You love everything," I say.
By now my dad is doing his dad-dance by the side of the pool with his headphones in, which are really of no use, what with the volume of choice. My kids are laughing. I am laughing. People sitting in their loungers are laughing because there's just something totally cool about a man living in the joy of the moment: loud music, a great song, the laughter of his family, a sunny sky, all of his favorite things. I'm not sure if his Feist phase will last, but I do know the man loves his life, and it shows.
And now, outside of the ballet studio, on my cell, he is telling me more about all the versions of this one song, a song I very much remember hearing with him for the first time, years and years ago, a song he has loved because it is a sweet love song that probably reminds him of my mom. And he called me because he knew I would know from the first words of a crazy cryptic sentence what he was talking about. Honestly, he could have said, "Who sings that song. . ." and I might have known. I don't need caller ID to recognize my dad. I know him by heart.
Note: The song "I Will" is sung by Ben Taylor (son of James Taylor and Carly Simon) and was featured in the movie "Bye Bye Love."
kind of like..I can name that tune in one note..very cute
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I love a game show reference
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Hi Christy! Loved the story about dad! I remember my daughter being embarrassed when I "danced" in front of her friends. Then the friends decided to coin the phrase, "Look, your mom is doing 'The Sue'. So I started a new dance craze for the kids in her school - called The Sue! Such fun! I also had an image of your dad, since I've met him - and it is great to think of his love of life!
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Thank you for the note! I would LOVE to see "The Sue" sometime
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Christy, LOVED this one, too. I am so pleased that you are doing this. You can put into words the things that I think and feel- but could never write for myself. Thank you (for you!)
Dee
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Dee, thank you for your lovely comment and for your support of this project. I appreciate it more than you know. Thank you for you, too! A mutual admiration society. . .
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Honey...This is your father.
I find it fascinating that you recognize my love of life (particularly my own), because that recognition indicates that you love your life too. We are lucky, lucky people to be surrounded by those we adore.
Your mother and I are lucky times two since we get to enjoy your "journey" as well as our own. We've been with you from the start (your mother's labor will long be remembered) and other than four flat (crushed) tires on "Sally the Sentra" and overt "Jimmy jealousy" i.e., I didn't get a car when I was 16, etc., the journey has been very exciting (Grease and all the other stage shows, monumental (first wedding, first grandchild), and satisfying (your personal growth). There is no one on this planet that can make me laugh like you can. To the point of utter helplessness. The way you write... the ability to express yourself so clearly and cleverly...enables you to show all of us how much you care.
Thank you,
This is your father.
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Thank you, Dad. <3 I do love my life. Enclosed, please find. . .
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