I've let down my eight year old nephew. But not as much as his dead-beat dad, so I feel all right. A month ago my nephew sheepishly asked me if I would go on a father-son camping trip. The idea of being outside, with no computer was startling. I remembered camping; Sleeping in caves with bats, cooking bad scrambled eggs in a crappy little steel pan, while being wet and un-showered the entire weekend. I might have had fun at the time, being eight or nine at the oldest, but I've grown up now and detest the idea of camping.
To attend the Friday night camping trip, I had to sell tickets to see Willie Nelson at Ravinia, a wonderful outdoor park with surprisingly good sound, and no restrictions preventing patrons from bringing in food or alcohol. Willie hasn't graced Chicago with a visit in a while, but I sold those tickets (at a loss) without thinking twice. I felt honored by my nephew's request.
There is a pecking order of father figures for my recently divorce burdened nephew:
1) Grandpa
2) & 3) My brother and I
4) The husband of a close girlfriend to my sister
5) His dad
Sad as that is, my nephew is better off. No secret that hangin' out with dead-beat pops would lead to the development of less than desirable traits.
For the entire month I asked my sister for details about the outing. Would I have to take a day off? Where was it? Was anyone else I knew going? What do I need to bring? What do I need to buy? Finally, late last week, my sister secured the info and informed me the camping trip was scheduled for two nights, not one. While the thought of two nights made me miserable, I was mostly upset because, having been told the trip was only Friday, I had purchased tickets for another concert that conflicted with the second night.
Falling in and out of grace with me is my sister's favorite past-time. Luckily my level-headed mom, not wanting to be in the middle, suggested we talk on the phone, instead of duking it out on email. After apologizing and being apologized to, I asked to speak with my nephew. I told him I wasn't going make it on the camping trip, but that my tied in the rankings brother would. Unaware of the behind the scenes turmoil, he said "Oh, OK" and that was it. With a little guilt, I purchased another pair of tickets to see Willie.
4 comments:
Isn't adulthood fun? We all make those purchases for the charity or extra-curricular activities of neighbor kids, kids of co-workers, and family members. I wonder what percentage of our economy is based on these guilt and obligation purchases. I'm sure the whole popcorn tin industry hinges on kids needing to go to camp.
Dude, you tried.
dude, now u can go get shot in the woods instead.
(j/k -- if you don't want to. i know now that you're 'not the outdoors type'
I was going to lend you my copy of "How to shit in the woods", but now I can give it to your brother - but I think he just wears adult diapers now because it's more fun.
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