Our papi loves to play. When the weather finally warms up, it beckons like a private invitation for him to come out and play. Volleyball on our river's beach, tennis with friends at the club, and basketball, sweet basketball! Driveway drills with the kids or the park's blacktop with local teens. Papi prides himself on being able to hang with the younger kids, the kids who are on their way to university scholarships and provincial championships. Seeing as the only ship papi has let to climb aboard is the old timer's league, he puts in his time now to ensure that that ship sails out of harbor without him.
This past week we all went to the park to do our things. Me, to help Eden on her fewer wheels and the kids to climb, flip, and make sand angels. And Papi, well, we all know where to find Papi. This night he finally found his sweet spot, his shot was coming back and he was hot. After a few games, he paused to look our way.
A young girl came up to him and asked, "What school do you go to?"
Papi, tickled pink with pride on the inside, modesty replied, "I don't go to school. I'm a Papa."
"You're a PAPA?! A DAD?!", she was incredulous to say the least. I mean, how many dads do you see taking on the young punks at the courts these days?
Eliana overheard the conversation and ran up to take possessive hold of his hand. "He's MY papa," she said, with a proud smile up his way.
And Papi's heart did sing! No old timer's league for him, he was still pre-papa-pro days in the eyes of his miniature fans.
That was last week.
This week finds our dear Papi elbow deep in a cast with a full line of stitches embroidered on his right pinky. Intent on stabbing apart frozen hotdogs on Sunday, Papi's knife slipped and cut right through his tendon. Recovering today from minor surgery yesterday, the summer now looks bleak. No volleyball, no tennis, no basketball, no working out. For at least 3 months.
Hopefully I'll prove to be a wife who buoys him up in the times when he's down. At least he has that, a devoted spouse and loving relation-ship! (ok, ok, I admit that's a stretch. I'm with you on this one...groan!)
Oh my. I was all happy and giddy thinking of that father-daughter pride moment and then OUCH! What a bummer! I'm so sorry - for both of you.
Wonder what new discoveries the summer might bring?
Posted by: Megan@SortaCrunchy | June 17, 2009 at 12:25 AM
poor papi! hope he feels better soon :)
Posted by: jenn grant | June 17, 2009 at 10:31 AM
It's always the lamest things that people get injured on. Seriously I think every injury story that I have involves something akin to hot dogs. sigh. I hope whoever ate those hot dogs was doubly appreciative. ;)
Posted by: ariella | June 17, 2009 at 01:25 PM