I said "sure!" After an enjoyable lunch that Saturday, while walking around campus, dad told me he had been dating someone.I said "sure!" After an enjoyable lunch that Saturday, while walking around campus, dad told me he had been dating someone. "That's great, dad. It's about time." "She's a lot younger than me, Brian. How do you feel about that?" I thought about it. Dad was a great guy and very charming, but he resembled the "Pillsbury Dough-boy" more than a male- model. Balding, 42, and on the short and dumpy side, I assumed he wasn't dating Michelle Pfeiffer. "I don't have a problem with that, dad. Has she graduated from high school, yet?" He smiled, then frowned. "Brian, I shouldn't be dragging this out like this. I just didn't want to drop it on you cold." "Drop what?" "Brian, I'm dating Stacy." I felt my face freeze without expression and dad must have assumed I didn't know who he was talking about. "Stacy. Stacy Woodlea, from the hair salon," he said. I was angry, and I couldn't keep it out of my voice, "I know who you mean. I know who Stacy Woodlea is, dad. When you said young, you meant it, didn't you?" "I knew you'd be surprised, Brian. We were surprised, too. It just happened. "She gave me such a good haircut that day I went with you, I went back to her for my next one. "We were talking, mostly about you. I was her last appointment of the day. She mentioned she was starving, and I said I was hungry, too; and, out of the blue, I asked her if she'd like to have dinner with me. I still can't believe she said yes, but she did, and we've been seeing a lot of each other these last six weeks. We just hit it off." "I'll just bet you hit it off!" I was speechless. I knew I had to regain control of myself, but for the first time in my life I felt something twist inside me and I knew it was that sick feeling called "heartache." I calmed down and blamed my reaction on surprise. Dad accepted that excuse and we walked and talked about other things for another hour before he finally left. |