Caller Number....

I must have been in elementary school... or maybe even middle school when my father first instituted the game...


It was early on a Sunday morning and I was the last one to come to breakfast... I think my sister made fun of my stick-up hair... and we all sat around quietly eating. I guess that the sugar in the Capt'n Crunch must have kicked in because I suddenly remembered that it was Father's Day. Not too eagerly I chimed in - "Happy Father's Day, Dad". Dad - in that all too familiar laugh- said... "Congratulations! You are the first!". He called mom over and asked her for the thing that he had given her before. She pulled out a crisp one dollar bill that had a yellow stickey note attached to it. It read, "To the first son or daughter to wish me Happy Father's Day". I, being the youngest, of course did a victory lap or dance to rub in the victory over my sisters... and the annual game was born.


This year I got up around six in the morning. I knew that it was Father's Day but I didn't want to wake my parents... so I waited to call. I ended up calling around eight. My dad answered the phone in an animated voice saying, "Thank you for calling The Father's Day competition, I'm sorry but you are caller number..... (Long pause as if he was calculating) Four!" Caller number four! I couldn't believe it! Dad said that Sherry called first... Quickly followed by a tenant (from a rental property) and then Jenny... all of whom wished him a Happy Father's Day. So, no dollar for me this year... but it was fun playing... and I think that it helps to make the day a little bit more special for my dad... Isn't he fun?