I'm A Song And Dance Dad

Life'sLikeThat
SureIsVille

Here's something you might not have guessed if you've stopped by here before.....

I grew up in a family of three boys that bashed the crap out each other at every opportunity.

Because it was all sports all the time.

Of course, there were the organized games and teams. Football and rugby in the fall, hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the spring/summer. Somehow basketball snuck in there too, and a little volleyball, but baseball was verbotten because it was a sissy's game.

But on top of all that there were the games at home. One of the best was called 'Cream-'Em' where essentially whoever had the ball got pummelled until they gave it up whether they were on the bottom of a dogpile or not. And then there were the soccer games in the backyard. Usually these were two on two affairs, with Dad included. They went on and on and on and on, so much so that there were huge mud holes in front of the side of the garage (big goal) and the picket fence that separated us from the neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Childs (small goal). Those games were rough and tumble too, with more than their share of viscious tackles, taunts and elbows and Mom constantly hollering at us that it was time to come in for dinner.

All of which was king heckfire fun most of the time, but in retrospect might not have been the best thing for our youngest brother who, in the end (and probably the beginning) decided he wanted to be a muscician.

Anyway, now that I have two kids of my own the strangest thing has happened.

I have almost no sports in my life whatsoever.

Why?

Because these days I am little more than a Song-And-Dance-Dad.

Not that I'm complaining or anything.

Take the last couple of weeks for example. I've had a blast at my wife C.'s Broadway Showtune Revue, my oldest kid E's fantastic, show-stopping, musical theater performance in a modified and very funny version of the Pirates of Penzance and, finally, my youngest kid, Little E.'s, absolutely fantastic Tap Dance Extravaganza.

All of which beats sitting in a sweltering arena in the middle of summer screaming 'Check! Check! Check!' during the South Vancouver Island Bantam 'A' Lacrosse finals.

But here's the weird part....During an epiphanic moment that came just after the intermission of Little E's show, I was struck dumb by the knowledge my brothers and me would have had a riot doing the tap dancing thing because those young boys get to go absolutely bonkers with percussion, controlled mayhem and athleticism. Not to mention the fact that they get to wear all these wild costumes, some of which resemble early James Brown, that I just know my youngest brother would have had a gas flashing.

But just to show that the world really does go round in beautiful circles, last week both of the E.'s asked me if maybe we should get a family soccer ball.

So, yesterday, I stopped at Cheapskates on the way home from the lab and picked up a garish little number, all black and shiny and show-stopper fancy.

And now?

Well, you'll have to excuse me 'cause I've gotta go outside and play.

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