Whimsy

I love my dad. I think we have a lot in common as far as personality - both of us a little high strung, a little prone to depression and social neediness, both introspective but thriving on friendships and being around other people. I think a few years ago he went through a low point of sorts when he was struggling to figure out what to do with his time - unable to find meaningful work or social contacts. Things seem to be looking up for him now.

The other night at dinner, he was being so funny - he had stuck a couple of little white dots on the side of his index finger and made a closed fist and then wiggled his thumb up and down so it looked like a little misshapen face was talking. He was using a funny voice for it too. My daughter was laughing like mad. One of the little dots kept falling off, so he stopped. Later in the meal, someone noted that it was International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and he said, "Arr, well in that case, ay'll just stick my one eye back on and..." and at that point I was laughing so hard I missed the rest of what he said.

To really get why this was funny, maybe you had to have known him a long time and known how he used to be (from my perspective, anyway) sadder and more emotionally fragile. I remember years when he was so miserable at his job, and other years when he was so miserable trying to find a job and not succeeding. To see him so relaxed and whimsical and able to be silly like that was wonderful.

Then later in the evening he was setting up my daughter's travel crib for her to sleep in, which is the kind that folds up into a bag, and my mom made some comment about how it was like setting up the Big Top, and he started singing this tweedling ridiculous falsetto circus music as he jiggled the legs into place. Which was hilarious to me all over again. I am so glad to see him happy like that.