First off, let me say that I know how lucky I am to still have a parent alive and I do cherish the time I get to spend with my dad - particularly since we've only really gotten to know each other in the past few years since my mom died.
He has trouble getting around - and he moves really really ssssslllllooooowwwww - so we don't get out much together. (I was going to say he doesn't get out much, but then I recently learned about his secret life at the grocery store).
But he needed new shoes - and thats something that he really needs to be there for. I have no idea what his taste in footwear runs to, but because he has trouble lifting one of his legs, they need to be lightweight, yet provide good support - and with all that they must be roomy enough to allow for his feet to swell as they do on occasion. And did I mention that they can't have a lot of rugged tread on the bottom - that makes them "sticky" which keeps him from sliding his bad foot along.
So we'd been planning a trip to Kohls - because it's an easy in/easy out store with comfortable places to sit - and that really is the priority in shopping these days.
He called me at work on Friday....and I always worry when I see the caller ID come up because he so rarely calls....we tend to email each other. But when I picked up the phone - he was quite excited to report to me that there was a big sale on mens shoes at Kohls this weekend - that there was something called power hours Friday night and Saturday morning - and he felt like he was up to a shopping expedition.
Bless his heart.......we agreed that whenever he was up and about on Saturday I'd pick him up to go shopping. He suggested eight oclock and I thought there was no way he'd ever be ready to go that early - but of course I told him that was fine - just call when he was set and I'd be over.
And he called at 8:01, ready for the expedition. He was having one of his less than optimum mobility days, so we took his walker along. But since I was able to drop him off right at the front of the store - we didn't need a geezer crossing sign.
Now, this has nothing to do with the story, but I was googling "old people songs" and came across this......so let me share
(if you are easily amused and not easily offended you might want to check out the whole I Kill People video )
The mission was successful as we found two pairs of shoes and then he mentioned that he liked polo shirts with pockets - so we picked up a couple of those as well.
He was feeling so good about being out and about that we decided to head over to the Amish market where we picked up some of the most wonderful potato salad on the planet - and some salami (he had a craving for the stuff - guess its an old person thing).
Of course we didn't just shop - we also talked. One of the things I'm grateful for with my father is that we're able to discuss mortality. None of us live forever, and although he always tells me that he doesn't plan on dying any time soon, it is important to him that I know what he has and where it is. So he tells me that one of his goals is to accumulate enough cash that he can leave each of us a six figure inheritance, and that he was almost there.
I told him as much as I appreciated the thought - I would prefer having him around for as long as possible.....so maybe he could keep going till he saved enough to give us seven figures each ;).
Old people are strange...but I do love my dad.
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