Fathers

Jodi and I went down to the little league fields to socialize Dexter. We figured this is a great place to find responsible hens and lots of free-roaming children to pet and play with the mutt. Problem is, we don’t have any children. Wait that came out wrong. The weird thing is that we are a married couple with no children attending a little league game. Apparently the weirdness level drops in direct relationship with the increasing age of the participants. We felt weird. (Actually, I felt Jodi and she just felt cuddly…but she still claimed to feel weird.)
This was confirmed several times for us with the obvious questions from inquisitive hens; “Who are you here to see?” or “Who’s playing?”
The most recent time we went, of course we got a few questions from the parents, but then someone asked Jodi if she had a son here. The wife explained, as usual, that we were just here to let Dexter play with people. The reply, in no uncertain terms and in exactly these words, was “that’s weird.” What insight for a four and a half year old! How did she know that was weird? hmph.

The bigger question is, why is this weird at all? When, in our society, has it become taboo to attend a little league game just for the fun of it, or for a bigger purpose such as socializing a dog? Are we so paranoid that we constantly are peering over our shoulder for the assailant we believe is inevitable? How sad. I was sitting in church this past Sunday and found myself uncomfortable when a young girl’s father put his arm around her during a song. Why did I feel this way? I’ve wondered all week if I have been polluted with society’s lowly view of men with children. Have we built up such a reputation that father’s can’t even be alone with their own children in public without someone fearing the worst? We are in bad shape, people.
It’s the media, I always blame the media. Crime goes down, but reporting goes up.
Jodi keeps saying I’ll be a good father. How does she know? All I know is if we’re at the store, and little Snot starts whining for something, we are not getting it. Hey maybe that’s the trick; just treat your kids like dogs.