Thursday, September 28, 2006

There's nothing like the bond between a father and his daughter!

It wasn't until I was filling out a form this afternoon and had to write the date that I realised, "Oh, CRAP! It's my dad's birthday!"

I'd remembered at the weekend and half-heartedly thought that I should 1) text him and find out what he wants (Sidenote: He is impossible to buy for because he buys himself all the latest DVDs, CDs, gadgets and gizmos and we always end up getting him something totally lame) and 2) actually go and get him a card and a present early this week. But then what with everything that's going on in my life right now, and the problem with my leaky brain, it TOTALLY went out of my head until this afternoon.

I'm not close to my dad at all. I usually see him about once every couple of months I suppose. He's usually pretty good with our birthdays - better than he used to be anyway - but it's kind of a bit, out of sight, out of mind. He's really not a big presence in my or my brothers' lives, so it is kind of hard to remember things like this. One year we all forgot Father's Day and he didn't speak to us for about a month. Ironically, we didn't realise for about three weeks, because it isn't like he rings us all the time anyway. And in the end, after I'd asked my brothers a few times if they'd heard from him and they'd said no, I eventually rang him and found out he hadn't been talking to us.

Well, that clearly worked.

Anyway, when I realised it was 2pm and I hadn't wished him happy birthday yet, I sent a speedy text message saying I was pretty busy this week, but if he wanted to do something to celebrate to let me know and I'd see what I could do.

This is the text I got back:

Thanks for your message. Am out in Thailand
at the moment. Back in UK on Sunday.
Perhaps we can do something next week.

This is the second time I've texted him on his birthday only discover he's not even on the same continent as me! This just shows how close we are. Thanks for letting me know, Dad!

3 comments:

FTN said...

That's funny. "Oh, by the way, I'm thousands of miles away. Surprise!"

I don't see my Dad very often at all, but I hope I'd know if he was leaving the country for something.

Anonymous said...

Holy crap! You just reminded me that it's my husbands birthday!

I owe you one.

Jericho said...

Sounds much like my relationship with my dad... I am certain he does not know my birthday. I know his, and I mailed him a card this year. Slacker me, though... I mailed it ON his birthday, and I am not sure when he got it, or if he did. When we are together, we get along beautifully and enjoy each other's company. Distance, though... we don't do well with that.

Like your blog :)
Foud you through FTN.