A slightly strange father's day

I usually spend father’s day at my father’s, but this year due to strange circumstances, I visited him the day before father’s day. So I was at home all day for the first time on a Father’s Day.

My girlfriend showed up with a wrapped box for me- about the size of a master set. This is my girlfriend who has given me a flashlight, a chocolate bar and T-shirt for every gift giving event for the past six years. Of course it might not be a master set. Where would she find a master set? It was probably a really big flashlight, a t-shirt and a little chocolate bar. I wish the chocolate bar was the biggest thing. I told her she shouldn’t have gotten me anything- I’m not her father. (I wonder how many flashlights he has...)

My children that morning had been in turmoil.

One said he didn’t have anything for me- what did I want? After all, hadn’t I said that we had enough figures and that I didn’t want anymore? I reminded all of them that I had not said that, someone else had. I added that I require nothing- I already had everything one could want. For a gift, a hug would be nice, even though I get several per day already.

Two of my other children were confident that they had the most awesome presents for me, but I would have to wait until later.

My young guy, four years old, had some things he had made in daycare. He doesn’t really colour- he just kind of scribbles. There was a picture of a soccer ball and a construction paper shirt and tie. I taped them to the fridge and noticed that last year’s Father’s Day things-from-daycare were still on the fridge. So I just added the new ones. One can never have enough construction paper shirt and ties.

My girlfriend went to sleep on the ratty old couch all afternoon and the kids played in the pool while I did laundry, cleaned the house, cut the lawn, trimmed hedges (actually my one son helped me) and then prepared supper. That’s a Single Father’s Day.

After supper it was gift time! The big wrapped thing from my girlfriend came first- my youngest son actually brought it to the table. He was so excited. Okay, by the time he got to the table it was unwrapped. A SotM. My girlfriend looked pleased. I did not tell her that we had six SotMs already- she wouldn’t have understood. She is a total non-gamer and chooses not to understand anything about games.

I tried to look really happy and thankful (hinting that this was a good, repeatable gift choice) but then she cautioned me- it was a yard sale item and she didn’t think it was all there. She was sorry.

I opened the box.
It was not exactly a SotM.
There was no water of any colour, a bunch of grass tiles (which you can never have enough of), no cards, 4 reavers, 1 Marro Warrior, Tor-Kul-Na, 6 stingers, 4 drudges, 5 grubs, 1 Nakita, 1 Ashran, 1 Izumi, Raylene (RotV), Empress Kiova, Drake, Shiori, 2 Tarn, Theracus, Crixus, three castle road hexes, Ne-Gok-Sa, a few OMs, a few wound markers and the AE grenade marker.

The kids and I were ecstatic. We play a different game than you- we don’t have unique squads. We have three Izumi squads and they all play at the same time- which means we will never break up a squad to make customs. We value our stuff too much. But now: one Nakita= Skahen, an Ashran, Izumi and miscellaneous odd Marr= more custom heroes. What a find! I really have to start Scape-hunting at yard sales.

My girlfriend, of course, didn’t understand at all. She just thought it was strange that we were happy because the game was incomplete.

My two kids who said they had awesome presents for me- well, those presents never materialized. I just kept quiet about it. But I thought it was strange. I guess it’s good they feel so comfortable that it’s not a big deal. At least that’s what I’m choosing to believe. Father’s Day for me has always been a duty, as I and the old man haven’t always got on so well. But he’s 77 now, pretty harmless and I really don’t visit him enough. In my mind Father’s Day is his day, not mine.

The truth is I really do have everything I really need and want- I don’t know if that’s strange or not but this Father’s Day I felt like I was very lucky indeed.