My dad was one of those dads who had virtually no time
for his kids. I played basketball from middle school through high
school on city and church teams and I cannot remember him coming to a
single game. I debated for two years in high school and went to
college on a debate scholarship and he has never seen me debate. I
wrestled for one year in high-school on a whim and he never saw me
take a beating. I rock climbed recreationally and competitively for
four years and he did see me do that once by accident because he was
driving up the canyon we were climbing and I happened to be doing a
route on the road. And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon.
I think it was the older kids he ignored because he went to every one
of my younger brother's football games. I am not bitter though I am
just telling you that there was not a ton of parental support. He did
however love to show attention on other people's kids. He would talk
with them help them with projects and be extremely generous with
treats and the like for neighbor kids and kids in the church youth
group. There was a ice cream truck that drove around Santaquin
playing a royalty free version of 'It's a Small World After All' on
a non stop 30 second loop and when it came by, and we had someone to
impress over, my dad would buy all of the other kids an ice cream. My
friends got particular pleasure from his southern accent, which they
thought was hilarious, and that was combined with the fact that he
was offering to buy them all an 'Ass Cream Cone'. My friend Gabe in
particular spent the rest of our time in jr. high and high school
impersonating my dad and telling me, 'Nay-Than, Ya'll Go an' Get You
an Ass Cream Cone'. This was literally done at least a couple of
times a week for years and years.
