I pulled Betty the Green Blazer into a developing line for the garage at the Shedd Aquarium Saturday morning. A couple cars ahead of us pulled out of line abruptly and we inched closer quicker than I expected. Close enough to a sign that Hazel read and then asked,
“Dad? Did you buy tickets already?”
I replied that I didn’t as the sign came into my view….
“The Shedd Aquarium is sold out for today.”
My baby girl was so excited to go see fish and was now facing disappointment. Last year I would have been dealing with a meltdown, this year I was calmly asked,
“Since you didn’t think about buying tickets in advance, do you have a backup plan……Dad?”
She handled it well, so today I put this Maya Angelou quote on the board so she can further recognize how well she handled yesterday’s situation.
Me on the other hand….
….I squeezed Betty’s steering wheel firmly and yelled out the famous Don Shepley line, “You Gotta Be Shitting Me?!?!?!” and added a “Son of a bitch, Mother F’r, F me!” to the end for stronger effect.
We ended up at the Museum of Science and Industry and had a better time. Pulled right into the second row of the garage and set off for fun. Hazel went into the Coal mine for the first time. Watching the expressions on her face throughout the exhibit was worth the price of admission.
We drove back up Lake Shore Drive as a boat regatta raced along Lake Michigan. We drove by Soldiers Field as teenyboppers started gathering for a Bayoncie concert. The city was beautiful and bustling with excitement.
We were heading towards Margie’s Candies when Hazel decided she didn’t want ice cream for lunch. She wanted a cheeseburger and she wanted one from The BillyGoat.
Proud Dad moment with that decision…
We walked into the Goat and Mr. Sianis yelled, “Hey Jumbo, good to see you! You no at the trading floor no more?”
Proud Hazel moment when someone knows her daddy.
I told him it was Hazel’s birthday weekend and he bought her a Sprite. He made her promise that she comes back in eleven years so he can buy her an Old Style and a Malort.
These next eleven years are going to fly.
Today I have to go see the Barbie movie. This is the best ten year old birthday that I’ve ever had!
“Dad, please don’t embarrass me!”
