take care

My father had a health crisis recently. I found out about it when his wife called me Monday night. During my subsequent freakout and various intense discussions with friends and family, Damian naturally wanted to know what was going on. We told him a little. I gather he asked Dan more about it on the way home from school yesterday, because when Damian came in the door, he gave me a big hug and told me that Daddy said I was sad because my daddy was very sick and maybe dying. He then immediately started chattering about how you get sick if you don't take care of yourself. True to a point, certainly, and far easier to talk about than any other ramification. So we talked about the things you can do to keep yourself healthy and left it at that.

Later yesterday afternoon, I was on the phone. As is his wont, Damian wanted to know who I was talking to. I told him I was talking to his grandpa, my father. Then I winced, wondering what he was going to say next and what my dad might hear. ("Oh, him, he's dying."? Which he isn't, by the way. That part was, shall we say, inaccurate. Thank god.)

Damian said, "Oh, he's the one who doesn’t take good care of himself." In a very clear, penetrating voice.

My father laughed. Because it's true, he hasn't been.

Kids don't shade the truth.

Posted by Tamar at May 25, 2005 11:06 PM | TrackBack