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My brother said something to me the other day that was both wise and thought provoking. Trust me, its scary when that happens because conversations of real depth are an unusual happening when the two of us get together. Yet, his words have permeated my thoughts for an entire weekend.

We had been out to lunch together and he happened to ask me how my 13 year old daughter was doing. I told him that she was struggling a little with her grades as she has two pending C’s coming on her next report card, and that the boy fever had kicked in. I told him of the trips to the movies we had taken her and the current boyfriend on. I also made mention that the little squirt in question had come over recently to watch a movie with her.

Not one second passed before he said, “that’s how it is, I use to have a son until he discovered girls. You’re lucky, you gain a son because you have a daughter but I just lose mine.” At first I just brushed it off and went on with our conversation. However, I discovered that as the day wore on his comment kept running like a tape replay in my head. He was absolutely right.

I can remember when my wife and I started dating. We were both in the 10th grade but at two different high schools on separate ends of the county. Over the following five years, I did spend more time at her home and with her family than I did with my own. The combination of gasoline vapors and perfume are an all encompassing intoxicant that few can resist.

I guess that I should be thankful for the fact that maybe just maybe I will be able to keep my little girl around. She’s the only child my wife and I have and knowing that some day another guy is going to take my place in her eyes breaks my heart. I’ll try to be nice to the boy but I know that it won’t be easy and that I can be as territorial as a ticked off rattlesnake.

Greg Baker

1/13/08