BLIND SPOTS
And Other Mysterious Things
My father-in-law knew everyone in town.
At least that’s what my husband believed when he was a boy. A simple trip to the hardware store could take all day. It would start with a painstakingly slow drive down the main drag.
It took much longer than it should have because his dad would slow the car to toot the horn and wave to every person they passed. The beep, beep would be followed by a running commentary.
“Boy oh Boy … George better skip the donut shop.”
Or “Boy oh Boy … another baby carriage! They must have a dozen kids. You boys should be glad you don’t have to live in that madhouse.”
When they finally made it to the hardware store, my father-in-law enjoyed sending the stockboy on one goose chase, followed by another, after a very specific resin or nail while he chatted with the store owner about his latest project. He could stretch this out for at least an hour, which meant the next stop would be the diner. My father-in-law loved a good diner.
Then, it was back in the car for the two-block trip to the diner—again, taking longer than would seem possible with all that honking and waving going on. After an uncomfortably long conversation with the waitress and special instructions given to the cook, the plates of food would be placed on the gleaming white Formica table, which would prompt my father-in-law to say in another minute or so, “Boy oh Boy … stop horsing your food,” which was his reminder to eat slowly and enjoy the meal.
My husband found out later that his dad didn’t know most of the people he waved to. And he is continuing the tradition. It gets me every time when we’re out for a drive, and he honks and waves to unsuspecting passersby.
I’m not sure where the “Boy oh Boy” came from. My father-in-law used that phrase all the time. It’s hysterical when my husband does an impression of his dad—it is spot on! Our daughter says this is actually a little scary because her dad is just like Grandpa. He insists that this can’t be true.
I’ve only heard the stories secondhand, so I may not be the best judge. I didn’t get to spend much time with my father-in-law until he came to live with us late in his life. By that time, he had symptoms of dementia. But using the stories my husband has shared as a gauge—for better or for worse—I think our daughter is right!
It’s been several years since my father-in-law passed away and it turns out that my husband is a lot like his dad, which doesn’t surprise me … and it’s only fair. I’ve written about my similarities to my mom, which did come as a surprise to me. The funny part is that my husband and I are like our parents in many ways, and we couldn’t see it ourselves.
However, our children noticed it right away, which makes me wonder what other mysterious things are loitering in our blind spots.
