Real Life: Hark! A New Species of Man
Jun. 5th, 2008 09:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stinglikeabeeI watched as a man in a floppy hat carefully maneouvred a Red Flyer wagon to stop in front of the office's entrance. The bell tinkled as he opened the door, and I realised the backpack slung in the front was actually a baby.
'Hi, are you looking to pick up something?' I said, more to the cute wee baby than to the man.
'Hi, are you looking to pick up something?' I said, more to the cute wee baby than to the man.
The baby giggled and kicked her legs against the man's abdomen.
'Who do I speak to about video?'
The editor spun around in her chair, and they got to business. Bored with the crap I'm doing, I stared out the open door. The man's other daughter was wiggling in the wagon, probably feeling the same way I am. Above her head was a large red umbrella. It made the Flyer less a wagon than a large stroller for a toddler or two. Smart man, I thought in admiration.
After a few minutes, the man pried himself away from the order to check on his little girl.
'Sweetie, you've been very patient. And I appreciate it.'
My first thought was to snigger, but there's no trace of condecension in his words -- he really meant what he said. The shock turns to amusement when the man then returned to a conversation with the editor, but became interrupted by plaintive cries for Daddy. The baby joined in the fray, yowling like a hyena. I'm surprised he even managed to keep up, without taking the time to tell the kids to shush. I know I would have said something along the lines of 'You little BRATS, don't make me get the GODDAMNED Batman'. Instead, he's the personification of calm throughout.
The daughter in the wagon cried out again for her daddy.
'I'm coming, sweetie,' he said. As he closed the door to the entrance behind him, he repeated the words, singing them out loud.
I couldn't quite make out what father and daughter were singing together as they made their way down the pavement, but the thought alone brought a big smile to my face.
I had just witnessed that rarest of all modern creatures -- the stay-at-home-father who genuinely and unashamedly enjoyed his role as caretaker. Amazing.
'Who do I speak to about video?'
The editor spun around in her chair, and they got to business. Bored with the crap I'm doing, I stared out the open door. The man's other daughter was wiggling in the wagon, probably feeling the same way I am. Above her head was a large red umbrella. It made the Flyer less a wagon than a large stroller for a toddler or two. Smart man, I thought in admiration.
After a few minutes, the man pried himself away from the order to check on his little girl.
'Sweetie, you've been very patient. And I appreciate it.'
My first thought was to snigger, but there's no trace of condecension in his words -- he really meant what he said. The shock turns to amusement when the man then returned to a conversation with the editor, but became interrupted by plaintive cries for Daddy. The baby joined in the fray, yowling like a hyena. I'm surprised he even managed to keep up, without taking the time to tell the kids to shush. I know I would have said something along the lines of 'You little BRATS, don't make me get the GODDAMNED Batman'. Instead, he's the personification of calm throughout.
The daughter in the wagon cried out again for her daddy.
'I'm coming, sweetie,' he said. As he closed the door to the entrance behind him, he repeated the words, singing them out loud.
I couldn't quite make out what father and daughter were singing together as they made their way down the pavement, but the thought alone brought a big smile to my face.
I had just witnessed that rarest of all modern creatures -- the stay-at-home-father who genuinely and unashamedly enjoyed his role as caretaker. Amazing.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-06 04:49 am (UTC)Awwww. *sigh*
no subject
Date: 2008-06-06 02:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-07 05:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-08 01:55 am (UTC)