The Kind Of Father I Want To be

Last week Weds or was it Thurs?? I don't remember!!! Anyway my dad calls me. I answer the phone " Yes sir" Pops " Where are you? " I pulled the phone away from my ear. Why is this man questioning my whereabouts I'M 36 YRS OLD!!!!! I answer " On my way to my parttime job father. " Pops responds in his accent " Oh thats good son. You need that money. Hope your saving it. " I respond " Please pops. You think making extra money makes me happy. I mean it comes in handy but it doesn't bring me any happiness" Pops responds " What would make you happy then son" I say " You have to ask " Pops " I know son. You want a family" I say " Yes siiir " then Pops says " I don't understand. You can find all your buddies women to date but you can't find yourself one. Maybe yuh to handsome. Women must think your going to cheat on them because yuh too good looking." This man is delusional I start laughing and respond " Pops I'm glad you think that. Gotta go. I love you " Pops responds "I love you too son" He hangs up.

When I was a kid baseball was the number one sport in my neighborhood. Every kid on my block played for Hillside Little League. If you didn't play you were subject to ridicule. So I begged my pops to let me join. Since he was a big baseball fan back then he quickly obliged.

One day I came home from little league practice looking kind of sad. My Pops says" Bwoooy whats the matter with you " I pout and say " I don't want to play baseball anymore " Pops " Wha yuh mean you don't want to play baseball anymore. Its paid for already" I say " The coach won't let me play. He says i'm too small and that I can't catch the baseball when its hit to me in the outfield. It keeps going over my head" Pops responds " Wha yuh mean yuh can't catch the ball. I watch yuh catch the ball when yuh play with your friends outside. When since yuh can't catch" I raise up both of my shoulders and say " Thats what the coach said daddy."

The following weekend my dad comes down to the park to watch me play. When he got there he was not happy. I was sitting on th bench with a brand new glove he had bought and my uniform was not dirty. Pops says to the coach" Mr Shipman why is my son sitting on the bench as a matter of fact why are the rest of these boys not getting a chance to play. " MR Shipman looks at my dad and doesn't respond. Pops says" I paid my money PLAY MY BWOY!!!! Mr Shipman was SHOOK!!!! He says " Slishy go to left field"

I'm in left field with my brand new glove and READY FOR ACTION!!!! Gonna make pops proud. WHACK!!!! Its a pop fly ball headed my way. I'm like FINALLY !!!! A chance to prove myself. Let me tell you. Young Slishy watched that ball go right over his head. Next batter up WHACK!!! This time its a line drive STRAIGHT TO ME!!!! The baseball hits my glove and falls to the ground error number two for young Slish. This was not looking good. I manage to get through the inning. Now I'm up to bat. I'm confident cause I know young slish can hit!!! First pitch STRIIIIIKE ONE!!!! thats aiight next pitch is STRIIIIIKE TWO!!!!! Hold up !!!! I grab the baseball bat real tight, tears in my eye I can't let my daddy see me strike out. STRIIIKE THREEE YOOOOUR OOOOUT!!!!!! I walk back to the bench couldn't even look at my dad, but I did notice Mr Shipman give my dad a THATS WHY YOUR SON IS ON THE BENCH LOOK!!!! My dad was pissed!! Cause he picked up on it too and says " Slishy lets go. I don't want you playing for this man. He's too Feisty!!! ( Thats Jamaican for Asshole)

We're in the car driving home. I'm pouting in the passenger side. My dad looks over at me and says " Bwooooy Slishy Yuh looked bad out there. I never see you play so bad." I didn't respond just sat there looking out the window. Pops continues " But thats okay all you need is a little practice and some confidence. I' ll help you with that" I turn around and say " But daddy you've never played basball in your life how are you gonna help me" Pops responds " Me watch it pon da T.V how hard it could it be" I shook my head and turned around and looked right back out that window.

That whole summer my dad would come home from work, change his clothes, and take my ass to the batting range. On the weekends he would take me and the neighborhood kids to the baseball field and hit balls to us. He was determined to make me a better baseball player. Although my dad couldn't play baseball he understood the dynamics of the game and quickly realized that young Slish was not an outfielder but an infielder. The following year young Slish was now Super Star Slish. I was on a different team and a starter. I followed my dads advice and convinced my new coach to let me play second base.

I played on that team for two years. My last year we managed to get to the Championship. I was still the teams starting second baseman. It was the last game in a 3 game series. Both teams were tied. My dad not only came to that game but brought all his boys to watch Super Star Slish play. I was 3 for 3 that day. No ground ball passed me. The game was close, but we WON!!! My Dad was there to see it and I knew he was the reason I had acquired those skills that help my team win. I ran outside of that baseball field and gave my dad the biggest hug.

I knew that day who my idol was and still is.


Love ya Pops. I hope I get the chance to be the kind of father you were to me back then and are to me now.