Day 4-Your parents

From Singles 2011

That's my mom and dad. It isn't much of a photograph. They didn't have any photos taken during their wedding. (I guess they were waiting for me and I was 8 years late. Sorry folks.) Instead, my Uncle Carroll took 8mm home movies of the wedding reception. This still, then, I took from the projection of the movie. I used it for the invitation to their 50th wedding anniversary a few years ago.

I've often thought that my parents were much cooler people than I was/am. (Note - I'm struggling with verb tense here - and hoping that any and all English teachers are too busy protesting the potential loss of their pensions to make note of all my mistakes.) They are much more social than I am - able to talk with people they meet and make new friends. I attribute this quality to their both being "middle children". They're adaptable - forgetting to take the suitcase they packed for vacation didn't create any distress - just lots of laughter. They were playful and amusing and happy to help. They were affectionate with each other and with their daughters - though not "touchy feely" with other people.

From Singles 2011

The quality that I most envy, however, is they were both able to tell a joke. At least once a week while I was growing up one of them would come home from work with a joke to tell at dinner. The jokes were meant for each other. I just got lucky to be there, too. (Me, I can't tell a joke. I can't remember the punch line even a couple hours after hearing it. And, if I remember the punch line, I couldn't begin to set the the story.) The photo above is a joke being passed between them while walking down the aisle at my sister's wedding. I'd tell you more about it, but I can't remember.