Parson to Person
#12 - An ongoing 'imaginative/non-fictional' series.
Dani was incredulous! “I can’t believe she told you! What did she say?”
My attempt to segue into talking about Renaldo was off to a great start.
“Nothing, honey, she simply mentioned that you had been talking about this young man, and I’ve never heard him mentioned before. Who is he?”
“He’s just this kid. He’s new to our school. He’s in my homeroom and in band.”
Desiring to make Dani more comfortable I ventured, “What does he play in the band?”
“He played trumpet, but now he plays drums.”
I asked, “So, is he a friend?”
“Dad, Stop! He’s just a kid, okay?”
As our food arrived I longingly recalled those days when Dani would talk to me about anything. Why was this so hard for her to talk with me about? Why had it become so hard for me to talk to her at all? I looked across the table at a daughter in whose eyes I used to be a hero – now I felt like an intruder. I wondered if I had done something to make her afraid of confiding in me. I searched my memory. Where was the moment when everything changed?
After a couple of minutes Dani spoke up, “Dad, I do need to talk to you about something important.”
“What is it?”
“You know my friend Ellie? She told me that Annie Dukes was talking about you in Driver’s Ed yesterday. She was saying that her parents told her you are going to be fired. What is she talking about? Are you going to be fired?”
“Dani, I am not aware of anything like that. The Dukes have left Covenant because they have some concerns I haven’t been able to answer to their liking. I really don’t think it’s a big deal though.”
She continued, “Does it have anything to do with me? I overheard you arguing with Mom about my prescription from Dr. Mains. If I caused all this, I’m really sorry Dad.”
“Honey, it isn’t about you, or any medicine. It’s about Mr. Duke’s convictions. You don’t owe me any apologies and you shouldn’t worry.”
An awkward silence resumed as we ate. I felt bad that she had heard this. I couldn't believe there was anything to it. I wondered if these kinds of concerns had contributed to the change in our relationship. Maybe it was the pressure of being ‘the pastor’s kid’.
After a few minutes, Dani spoke up, this time never looking up from her plate: “Renaldo is a junior. He plays soccer. He asked if we could go out sometime. He drives.”
The she added, “But I know you won’t like him… because his family is Catholic.”
Dani was incredulous! “I can’t believe she told you! What did she say?”
My attempt to segue into talking about Renaldo was off to a great start.
“Nothing, honey, she simply mentioned that you had been talking about this young man, and I’ve never heard him mentioned before. Who is he?”
“He’s just this kid. He’s new to our school. He’s in my homeroom and in band.”
Desiring to make Dani more comfortable I ventured, “What does he play in the band?”
“He played trumpet, but now he plays drums.”
I asked, “So, is he a friend?”
“Dad, Stop! He’s just a kid, okay?”
As our food arrived I longingly recalled those days when Dani would talk to me about anything. Why was this so hard for her to talk with me about? Why had it become so hard for me to talk to her at all? I looked across the table at a daughter in whose eyes I used to be a hero – now I felt like an intruder. I wondered if I had done something to make her afraid of confiding in me. I searched my memory. Where was the moment when everything changed?
After a couple of minutes Dani spoke up, “Dad, I do need to talk to you about something important.”
“What is it?”
“You know my friend Ellie? She told me that Annie Dukes was talking about you in Driver’s Ed yesterday. She was saying that her parents told her you are going to be fired. What is she talking about? Are you going to be fired?”
“Dani, I am not aware of anything like that. The Dukes have left Covenant because they have some concerns I haven’t been able to answer to their liking. I really don’t think it’s a big deal though.”
She continued, “Does it have anything to do with me? I overheard you arguing with Mom about my prescription from Dr. Mains. If I caused all this, I’m really sorry Dad.”
“Honey, it isn’t about you, or any medicine. It’s about Mr. Duke’s convictions. You don’t owe me any apologies and you shouldn’t worry.”
An awkward silence resumed as we ate. I felt bad that she had heard this. I couldn't believe there was anything to it. I wondered if these kinds of concerns had contributed to the change in our relationship. Maybe it was the pressure of being ‘the pastor’s kid’.
After a few minutes, Dani spoke up, this time never looking up from her plate: “Renaldo is a junior. He plays soccer. He asked if we could go out sometime. He drives.”
The she added, “But I know you won’t like him… because his family is Catholic.”
2 Comments:
Man oh Man...
I've HAD this conversation:
After a few minutes, Dani spoke up, this time never looking up from her plate: “Renaldo is a junior. He plays soccer. He asked if we could go out sometime. He drives.”
The she added, “But I know you won’t like him… because his family is Catholic.”
OK, change the particulars, but the body language, the tone... man oh man.
D--
By Higher Up, Further In, at 1/19/2006 9:28 AM
Man oh man.....a Catholic??
As a parent, I would be very happy just to hear that the boy believes! Had she said Atheist, the Pastor may have had some medical issues and that would be the end of the series for us!
By Jackie, at 1/19/2006 10:18 AM
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