Who's Your Daddy?

Perhaps this wasn't the best title in the connotative sense, but it was either that or "Papa Can You Hear Me", and I'll be damned if I'm titling a blog off of Streisand.

Well it's "Father's Day", or as I like to call it:"Hallmark Enterprises Strikes Back". I did my usual Great Neck thing, went to a nice staff meeting, then to Teaneck for some business, and stayed there for a Fathers Day BBQ with some of my family, although my papa didn't come. Aside from enjoying baseball, Leslie Nielson, a genuine love for Israel and our last name, my dad and I don't have a whole lot in common (he thinks Guster is a kind of of fruit snack with juice in the middle). However if there's one thing I admire and respect him for, it's his "Just another day" attitude towards the Greeting Card Conceived Holidays- these are Valentine's Day, Mother's Day (though my mom doesn't share his beliefs in this regard, so he must concede slightly on this day), and of course Father's Day. This is one more item we have in common as I too feel these days are a crock of $%#@! (my family also doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, but that's another blog). Of course the sentiment behind these days is nice, but let's be realistic, they were created by corporate greed, not love. It may be a cliche,' but every day should be Father's Day (and if you really feel you need a day to celebrate him then that's what birthday's are for). It's almost as if one can get away with "ignoring" ones father for 364 days out of the year, just as long as he/she makes a little effort (perhaps with a Hallmark card?) on this day. Sorry but I'm not for it. In fact the only reason I went to the BBQ was because I wanted to say goodbye to some of my family before I went away for well, a very long time it seems....oh and the food was free so....

Two weeks ago I took my dad to a Mets game, and even though they didn't win ("The Mets Lose"- wink, wink :), I think we had about as good a time as was possible ( considering our lack of things in common and that we don't generally "connect"). For me this was a big deal. Baseball is a game of fathers and sons, and its perhaps the best if not perfect place for an "Av" and a "Ben" to bond, or at least attempt bonding. I had been trying to go to a game with my dad for the last three seasons, but he was in no hurry to see the last place Mets. Now my dad is a Mets fan (just not as loyal as me) and a baseball fan, but I think a good deal of his heart for the game withered when the Dodgers left Brooklyn. But this season with (at the time) the Mets playing pretty good baseball, and my now perfected ability to go to a Mets game and spend $0 on the night, my father agreed to come. This was the first time I can remember that just my dad and I went to a game in over 10 years -during the 2001 season I know we went once, but I'm not 100% sure whether or not one of my brothers came as well. This time though it was just father and middle-son. We talked baseball, were amazingly patient with the three loudest, most obnoxious 10-year-olds sitting next to us, and still managed to have a nice night at a ballgame. There was no big breakthrough in our relationship, or no incredible Mets comeback we could talk about. One might even say the night was a little dull, but it did mean a lot to me, and I hope on some level it meant something to him too- I know one of my dreams in life is to G-d willing, take my own son to Mets game (BLEE EYEN HORA). I took my dad because I wanted to do something nice with him, and for no other reason than that. I didn't do it because of the social pressure a corporate-made holiday that most directly benefits Hallmark and sporting goods stores inflicted upon me. Anyday can be Fathers Day, and there should probably be more than one.