Here's A Little Something Else

This would be me at work. On the drive to this site (In Edison, NJ, a good 45 mins from my last job-related appointment) I almost had a great big sob. This was me in my car, shouting, "No! No! NOOO, no no no no!" to prevent it. It worked, too, I'm actually glad to report.

The trigger to this was a dang radio commercial. It was for diamonds, no less. It's a dialogue between a father and son. Little boy talking about what dad's going to get mom for Christmas. He thought she might like a dinosaur. I forgot what else the kid wanted to get her. Each time dad was like, "No buddy, we might like that, but I think Mom might want something different." The conclusion, of course, was for Dad to get Mom some rediculously expensive jewelry to which sonny-boy said, "Mom's my favorite" and Dad goes, "She's mine too."

Say, "CHEEeeeEEESE...!"

But then there it went. The way that father called his son, "Buddy" so many times. How patient he was with the lad. How much he sounded as though he actually liked his child. Not to mention how at ease and peaceful the boy was in the company of his father. How they were together shopping for the favorite girl in their lives. How his father's manly example would mold that boy--determine how he treated women in the future--how it would just help him know how to relate to other guys in a healthy, fraternal way. THAT'S WHAT FATHERS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THEIR SONS. THAT'S HOW IT FRIGGIN' WORKS!!!

DAMN!

I'm almost ready to break down right here, and I'm at work and I can't yell at myself to stop it.

Okay.

Okay.

I'm good.

Anyway, that's what I missed out on and am longing for now. So instead, I'm going to nurse the relationships I have with my friends. I'm going to try to withhold less and give them a chance to know me a little better. And I'm going to try to be a little less suspicious and be a little more Feedbackian with them. Invite them to dinner because "it doesn't make sense not to". Call them up out of the blue just to say "hi" and keep strengthening the connection between us.

What is happening to me?? Is this what getting old is all about?? Growing sentimental and prone to weep at radio commericials??

Bah, I don't care. My heart needs people and I'm going to give it what it needs.

PLUS! I'm a friend of Matt Atherton's so that's ALL RIGHT THEN!