So, the other day was my birthday party and my father was telling me about how, when he went to buy the monitor from the campus store, the boys at the counter said "Oh, yeah, your daughter was in here earlier." My dad is a kinda big man on campus and most people know his name but if they know him intimately, I try not to let on that I am his daughter in this case. It can get ugly.

The kids working at the computer store didn't know who he was besides his name. I laughed, and said "Well, maybe you'll recognize him if you walk around campus. He looks like a big nerd - real tall, with glasses, ya know."

I don't now, I guess I was somewhat funny, but my dad and I were talking about the computer store and I said "Yeah, I told them you look like a nerd."

Oh my god, I have no tact. He looked so hurt, I thought he was about to start crying. I have, on occasion, seen my father cry and I have no great desire to make that happen ever again. And he tried to shrug it off, but I grew really agitated and upset. I saw that he was hurt and went into overdrive with apologies, until my mother shouted "HE IS NOT HURT, he is just joking, see?"

Remind me never to tease my father again.

2002-08-22, me and my dad

before / after

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