Friday night before hockey I forgot to mention that I forgot my helmet. I don’t know if I forgot to mention it, or if I tend to take things for granted sometimes. I leave my equipment in my parents basement so that it doesn’t stink up my place. For that alone I can say my parents are great, unselfish role models. To top it off I forget my helmet on Friday and I don’t realize this until I am fully equipped and ready to hit the ice. I use a cell phone to call home:
Dad – “Hullo”
Me – “Hey dad, you busy?”(1)
Dad – “Why?”
Me – “I think I might have left my helmet in the basement.
Dad – “One sec…ya it’s here, where are you?”
Me – “Bertrand”
Dad – “I’m on my way?”
If that wasn’t enough I realized on Tuesday at work that I forgot to pay my autopac on time. I ended up faxing them a void cheque so that they could set up monthly withdrawl but because I work until seven I couldn’t get the sticker for my plate. I called my dad. He told me that he had to drive my sister somewhere later anyway and that he could pick it up and then come by and drop it off when I was done work. I told him I could come by and get it and he said I shouldn’t be driving around like that anyway. He came over that night and gave me the papers. I asked where the sticker was and he had already put it on my car for me. He then handed me a bottle of wine and a couple of chickens from Safeway. And that is just this week! My parents have been this way for as long as I can remember.(2)
(1) – Many O’ conversations started this way and ended with my dad coming through in a pinch. Picking me up somewhere, droppping me off, helping a friend. Fuck I would give anything right now to be able to pick up the phone and ask him if he was busy right now just hear his voice.
(2) – Mom too. If I learned anything from my parents it was to be kind and generous. The door was always open for us and for friends as well. If someone was over at dinner time, they got fed. If someone needed something they were always there to help any way they could. It’s like that at our house now.