Had the grandbaby laid across my chest while my daughter went to warm a bottle and that little fellow about put ME to sleep, all warm through my shirt with one fist hooked in the collar like I was fixing to leave. I'm used to being up and down all day on the valet ramp so sitting still that long felt strange at first, kept wanting to move my left leg and then worrying I'd wake him. After a while my shoulders dropped and I could feel how heavy my own head was against the couch. Daughter came back asking was I comfortable. Lady I've parked a thousand luxury cars and none of their seats felt this good.

My youngest called to ask if I was coming to the school thing or just saying I was coming, used those exact words and everything. Man that stung. I was about to tell him all the places I HAVE shown up and then my wife gave me that look from across the kitchen, like she could hear both sides through the phone. So I said I'd be there and asked what time again. He sounded happy after that, talking about what he had to wear, and I was glad he still wanted me sitting out there. But I stayed bothered about the way he asked. I can hear it now and the boy probably forgot the whole conversation.

Got to thinking about my old Cutlass with no reverse while I was pulling a guest's little sports car into a space you could barely fit a grocery cart in. People hear no reverse and ask how I drove it. You thought ahead, that's how, picked somewhere you could pull through and didn't let anybody park in front of you. Had that system working pretty good at sixteen, though my brother remembers one afternoon we had to push. He tells that part every time. Sometimes I think I remember that car more clearly than anything I owned after it, right down to the hot seat smell. Still wouldn't trade the Crown Vic for it. Nearly got that one ready.