Cliffo’s Unpopular Opinion Number 7628 – Summer is the superior season by far. It’s better than autumn and spring and the poor old winter doesn’t even come close. Yep, summer is the season where life is for livin’. However, summers these days do seem to come with an unusual side-effect… And just like Cotton-Eye-Joe I don’t know where it came from or where it’s going – but I am here to tell you, dear reader, that each and every summer manages to bring out that extra little bit of “dad” in me.
I’m not sure what it is about the warmer months, but from December to February, the dad-isms in me step up to a whole new level. Whether it’s giving the tongs an extra few clicks over the barbecue or mowing the lawn in my big Bunnings straw hat. Summer makes me an extra dad-like and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.
Recently, while lining up to get a table at our local counter for a counter lunch I hit a new low in the world of dad-isms. We were waiting to be seated when the waitress came over and asked if we were here to join the “big table”. I looked to my left and immediately discovered what appeared to be a 50th birthday celebration happening right there in the dining room. What came out of my mouth next was the dad-isms in full flight. To set the scene:
Waitress – “Are you here to join the big table?”
Cliffo – “We are if they’re paying!”
Everyone – Silence
You could hear a pin drop at this point. It was actually my wife who pointed out the incredible dad-like nature of my joke. I thought it was hilarious. What dad wouldn’t?
I’m not sure if it’s the days we have off work, the extra time we spend outdoors or (being totally honest) the extra beers we (maybe just I) seem to have at this time of year. But whatever it is, there’s no denying it. Dad‘s step up their dadness every single summer. And the saddest thing is other dads are the only ones who recognise this phenomenon as being a good thing. What’s with that?
So, to all the dads out there I say “you do you, boo”. Let the dad-isms shine out of you like the star quality they are. And to our long-suffering partners and children – get used to it. We are only halfway through summer. Our best gear is yet to come.
