Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Personal Peace (06/01/06)
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TITLE: I'm not a Spoiled Brat | Previous Challenge Entry
By Carol Dee Meeks
06/05/06 -
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“Come right in.” Dad said as he graciously opened the door for me and my date. “Do you know what time it is?”
“No sir.”
“I think it is time you said good night. Actually, it is time to say good morning.”
“Yes sir.“
“And young lady, I’m going to tan your hide.”
“Oh Daddy...no.”
“Don’t oh Daddy me.”
So you see, I’m not a spoiled brat as my brothers say. I didn’t think I deserved a spanking either. After all, I was a Senior in high school but my dad didn’t see any humor in me getting home from a basketball game after midnight. My four brothers always have to bring this subject up in front of my boys, so I’ll never live it down. My boys laugh with them and it adds some painful, youthful memories.
Dad’s way of life was stern, but you knew when to stop. On this occasion, I just knew he would be asleep. I never dreamed he would be so kind as to open the door for us and welcome us inside the house. That was the last date with Mr. Bravery. He never had the nerve to come or call me again. After two years of dating, my dad scared him off. It probably saved me a divorce later in my life, and for that, I have almost been grateful. As I said, his ways were stern. Sometimes I was a slow learner, but his hard-nosed being kept me out of a lot of trouble during my growing-up years. I would not have the spouse of forty-one plus years if my dad had not cared enough to implement the values he put forth for me.
I remember another big date I had and almost blew. If I had been spoiled as my brothers say, it would have been a really grand night of getting my way. It was my Junior-Senior Prom and all my friends were going to Albuquerque after the dance.
“Daddy, please can I go? We are going to eat breakfast and then come home.”
“Do you realize how late you’ll be getting home?”
“Yes sir.”
“I don’t think so. That is sixty miles over there, sixty miles back, and at least an hour and a half to eat. We re looking at 6:00 in the morning.“
“I know, but everybody is doing it.”
“No, not everybody, cause you’re not. End of discussion.”
If it had been true, I was spoiled as my brothers said, my dad would have told me to go have fun but be careful. And me with that slip of the tongue, I knew not to say “everybody’s doing it,” which meant not everybody ‘cause I was home after the dance. See. I wasn’t a spoiled brat. I think of these two events every Father’s Day. It was pain at the time, but that pain allowed me the blessing of a wonderful spouse, and he would not have looked my way, if I had got my way back then. This has always brought me a personal peace.
571 words
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