Since the rest of my family is in Greece, where they have been for a month, my dad and I check in with each other every day, just to say hi and bitch about how they’re in Greece and we’re not and that sucks.
6:30pm last night, walk out of work after one of those days that makes you want to put on a hoodie, pull the covers over your head, plug in your iPod and think to yourself, “god, Fiona Apple just gets me”: Call my dad to have him cheer me up. Leave a message with his secretary as he is in a meeting.
8pm, eat a Smart Ones, realize that the tiny portion will not be nearly enough: Get the answering machine at home. Call my dad on his cell phone, leave a message. Try the office, leave a message.
9:30pm, watch Newport Harbor, which is awful even by my very flexible TV standards: Call my dad at home and on his cell.
11pm, in bed with M, tell him I’m concerned that my dad is being tied up and held for ransom as we speak: Call my dad, home and cell. Again, nothing.
Fall asleep.
1:07am, wake up with a start, immediately wonder how the hell I’m going to pay that ransom: Call my dad. He answers.
Me: “DAD! IT’S ME! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I’VE BEEN TRYING YOU ALL NIGHT! I WAS SO WORRIED!”
Dad: “I was out to dinner in Astoria with some clients. I know, I meant to call but I totally forgot.”
Me: “You can’t do that to me! I was so worried! I was freaking out! (Gently pokes a sleeping M) M knows that I was freaking out!”
Dad: (finds this all very amusing) “I’m 57 years old, Clink. I think I can take care of myself.”
Me: “I don’t care how old you are! I’m still your daughter and I still worry!”
Dad: “Ok, ok, I’ll call next time. I promise.”
Me: “You’d better. God. Did I mention that I was worried? Because I was worried.”
Dad: “I’m fine! Oh…and hey Clink?”
Me: “Yeah?”
Dad: “Don’t tell your mother.”
Aww, I’m glad your dad is okay and not being held ransom. Last week, my partner was home sick while I was at work. At one point I called to check on her and she didn’t answer…for four hours. I was nearly in tears imagning all the bad things that could have happened to her. Finally, minutes before I was ready to leave work early and go check on her, she answered. She was baffled by my tears and calmly explained that she had been sleeping. Because she was, you know, SICK. Oops.
That’s adorable. I freak out when I can’t get ahold of my mom sometimes so I totally understand. Usually it’s just that she’s on call and had to go in to work, but The Crazy always believes that something terrible has happened. Good to know that your dad just missed curfew and wasn’t being held captive by evil people.
Also, I hope you have a better day today than yesterday!
Hahah awww. I totally get it. I freak out when I don’t know where Michael/my family/my friends are when I’m trying to reach them.
You’ll be a great mom one day!
Hahahahahah. I totally do that too. Nice to know I’m not the only one who freeaaaaks out when i can’t get a hold of my loved ones.
and for the record? despite what i’ve written in the past about my dad, we’ve totally had that “role reversal” conversation. love. it.
i know the feeling. my mom always answers the phone when i call even if just to say “i can’t talk right now” - she says she does that in case i’m having an emergency. but lately she’s been dating a new guy and all of the sudden not answering her calls. i about freaked out on her when she didn’t call me back within 24 hours, because she lives alone and i had no idea where she was! now who’s the parent? lol
I went through that same thing with my father a few weeks ago…infact, I go through it several times a year…each time I’m just as worried as the time before. I’m pretty sure he enjoys hearing me freaking out and the crazy situations that I come up with in my head. Nice to know I was created for his enjoyment.
I’ve been saying it for years, it is NOT easy raising parents.
I think that’s sweet. Shows how much you love him.
Same thing happened to me recently. We were at my parents’ summer place and my parents had plans for Sat. night. We arrived that same day to see them and hang out for the rest of the weekend. We didn’t see them at all and went to bed. Fine–but I woke up wondering where they were; it was midnight and no one was home. It freaked me out. No one called and I felt dumb about thinking to call them–they are my parents–why should their daughter check up on them!
My mom later told me I should have called if I was worried but they were at a show after having gone to dinner. My parents never stay out late! And midnight isn’t even that late!