I’m very impressed by family. I guess it’s because I never had much of one, so when I saw a father and his sons ranging from 6 to 16, obviously so in love with their dad, my heart strings were plucked like a lute.
It was on the train. I was so tired from a long, trying work day, nothing left of me really, except the will to make it home.
They looked fresh and fun-filled like they had just been to a game. There were seats, but not 4 together, so rather than sit separately, they stood as a team of their own, arms linked amid sunny smiles.
Must be nice to have sons you clearly nurtured and brought up well who look to you with such affection. What could be finer than solid fatherhood knowing you did a good job.
I watched him tousle the youngest one’s hair that seemed a little long.
The older ones had crew-cuts like him. You could tell though how much he loved the little guy who had a smirk that told you all you needed to know. He was a mischief maker alright, maybe the way he was at that age.
They got off before me, dad making sure he was the last to embark, a few people between them.
The boys waited for him by the stairs, then, as a family, all alighted together.
SB
A lovely observation, Susannah.
My boys adored their father and I could just picture this scene with different “actors”.
Truly wonderful. It’s those little moments, eh?
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It was a sweet thing to see.
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It must have been.
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🙂
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I have precious little (nada) to contribute as per the idea of family. But to the stories you cull from subway cars and street corners? Sublime renderings of a beautiful mind. You are a true believer, Thin Girl.
The world needs more of you.
PS- Alighted goes in the file. Just saying.
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I don’t believe that. You always have a point of view. Yes, alighted is a great word. In the file it goes…twice.
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Oh, I most certainly do.
Twice? I’ll go for that. 🙂
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Do I hear three? Sold, to Mr. Imma, respectively. 🙂
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Mr. Imma thanks the cheeky chica dressed in the Audrey Hepburn hat and Jackie O shades.
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Yeah, I’ll cop to that.
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Dead to rights, so umm . . pull those high heels off to the shoulder of the road, por favor.
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Oh My!!!
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You DO realize you were exceeding the speed limit, dontcha?
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Wanna see my license and registration? Am I gonna go up against the wall? sigh
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Always with the cheeky. Okay . . Imma let you off with a warning this time.
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Thank you Mr. Imma…I promise I’ll try to behave…cheek to cheek.
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Yeah, uh huh. Mmm Hmm, LOL.
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Can’t get nothin’ past you.
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I calls ’em as I sees ’em.
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You’d make a great Ump.
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I would curse appropriately. As per.
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And chew tobacco, and yell…YER OUT!!!
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I can’t chew tobacco. In the eighties, I did it for about five minutes, Lord knows why. Nasty stuff. Cigarettes were a much better delivery system.
But yell? YER OUT!!! Yeah . . I can definitely do that.
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Remember the Lucy show when she sang, The Ump?
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You got me! I don’t remember that one!
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Yes you do, its her, Ethel and Bob Hope..’EVERYBODY LOVED THE UMP.”
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I just checked out the dancing routine with Lucy, Ricky and Hope.
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I can’t believe being such a Lucy/baseball fan you’ve never seen it. You must have just forgotten.
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I thought it was Ethel, not Ricky. See…my memory is down a quart too.
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Beautiful, Susannah. My wonderful husband Michael and I have four sons. They adore their father as he adores them. They went places together…a team…played golf together…wonderful love and respect all around. Now Michael is in Memory Care afflicted with Parkinson’s. The ‘boys’ are tender; visiting and trying to bring joy to his life; difficult to do these days. Most everything has left his mind but the love is always there…in their faces, their actions. A father and his sons…magnificent We have been and continue being blest. Gifts from God, our sons…our pride and joys.
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Nice you have sons you’re so proud of.
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A sweet side-note. As I wrote, my husband is in last stages of Parkinson’s and in Memory Care. One of our four sons gets off every Friday at noon. He drives over, has lunch w/me plus a great visit; walks over to his dad’s place for a long visit w/him. Stays w/him ’til after dinner then they retire to his dad’s bedroom. His dad is a music lover but can no longer sing. Our son Jeff sings his dad to sleep each Friday night. Sweet dreams, dad.
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You’ve clearly raised nice, loving boys. They love their dad.
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That’s great to see. It’s nice to see people happy with each other like that. 🙂
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A rarity these days. Parents quite often, just seem absent…sigh
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Cheers to the positive stories!
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Cheers to you Frank.
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Heart-warming!! That’s the kind of relationship John has with our grandsons.
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We like John. Yes we do. 🙂
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I’d give that a triple like if I could.
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Awe…that’s so wonderful to hear. Three Cheers for John.
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Susannah, another beautiful moment captured by your observant eyes. How many other riders never noticed?
I worked extra days the last half of the school year and used the money to rent a cheap house for a week in Hampton Beach, NH. My four children and their families are leaving this morning, thirteen in all. They are all aware that it won’t be the Ritz, and probably not even the Holiday Inn. But they’ve been looking forward to a total family vacation since last March when I booked it. So of course I got laryngitis yesterday, but I feel fine.
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That sounds so great Skinny. I can envision it. Keep notes. Write about it. How lucky they will be under your loving roof. 🙂
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This is the beginning of day three. I believe it is the best money I’ve ever spent. The seven adults and two older step-grandchildren hang out in the courtyard at night playing cards, talking, and laughing. My two sons take bike rides together. Everyone chooses to sit together at the beach. Our place is one or two notches above a slum, but we’ve learned to make the best of any situation. I’m one happy mama.
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It’s like a George Suratt painting. 🙂
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And not a cell phone in sight? Truly a family who love and like each other.
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You’re right, not a phone in sight. They were all present for one another. You’ve added another layer to this Patricia. There’s so much separateness these days. No one relates. No one talks. If you peer into any Starbucks you’ll see couples ignoring one another choosing their phones over any intimacy. sigh
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I too, have thoughts of what might have been when watching loving families. Having grown up with two alcoholic parents if we ever went anywhere it was a humiliating experience. However I have a beautiful, successful and happy daughter that I am proud of and I have a beautiful church family. I enjoyed reading your story about the sweet family you described. Thank you for sharing.
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Was awfully nice to see.
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