RaisingDad

I was talking to our father and lamenting about how my arms were getting crinkly and dry just like his.      “I’m even getting those little scabs for no reason just like you,” I told him.       “Speaking of scabs,” he answered, “did you see that big, ugly scab on your brother the last time he was here?”      “No, pop,” I told him. “I didn’t.”      “My mistake,” he corrected himself. “I was thinking about his face.”      RaisingDad RaisingMyFather.BlogSpot.com JimDuchene.BlogSpot.com @JimDuchene  

My father was one strict old coot.      My brothers and I had it bad growing up, but our sisters had it worse.      When m y sister, who was in high school, was going out on her first date, my father wasn't about to let her stay out until all hours of the morning. When the boy came by to pick her up, my father told him that he wanted her back home before twelve, "and I'll be waiting up to make sure that she is ."      The kid was respectful, he recognized a potential kick in the behind when he saw one, but as soon as my father left the room, he asked my sister, "What happens at midnight? You turn into a pumpkin?"      "No," my sister told him. "Just have me home early because you don't want to find out what my father turns into."         RaisingDad RaisingMyFather.BlogSpot.com JimDuchene.BlogSpot.com @JimDuchene   

Poor pop ’s been constipated for over a week now.      His eyesight’s worse now, so’s his hearing. He’s constantly suffering from one thing or another, and now this.      “Tell your brother to come visit,” my beautiful wife suggested.      “What good would that do?” I asked her.      “When dad hears he’s in town, he’ll have a shit!”        RaisingDad RaisingMyFather.BlogSpot.com JimDuchene.BlogSpot.com @JimDuchene   

as featured in Desert Exposure Magazine Every morning my father goes for a walk, rain or shine.      Even when he doesn’t want to go , he'll go. He’s so stubborn, he irritates himself.      Sometimes our conversations will sound like this: "Man, I really don't feel like going on my walk this morning."      "Why don't you take a break?"      "A break from what?"      "From your walk."      "Why would I want to do that?"      "I mean, if you're not feeling good."      "Who said I'm not feeling good?"      "You did."      "I said I didn’t feel like going on my walk. I didn't say I didn't feel good. They’re not the same thing."      He has a point, I guess. I just wish he wouldn't make it with an Are-you-nuts? look o...