My dad and the holidays do not mix!

[flying_monkees]

I love my dad to death, don’t get me wrong.  But ever since his accident 11 years ago, talking to the man is an exercise in futility.  His short term memory is shot, so I have to tell him something 20 times or more.  I can tell him something one day and the next day he’ll ask me again.  And he’ll ask me the same question every day for weeks sometimes.  He just can not process information like that anymore.  I try not to get mad at him, but some times it can be near impossible. 

 

 

Take for instance, Christmas.  I mentioned to them that Son #1 would love a new pair of ear bud headphones.  I’d gotten him an inexpensive pair this summer that he loved to death, but they’d fallen apart on him.  They’re soft and don’t hurt his ears.  Mine either, which is how we found this out as he borrowed my pair.  *rolls eyes*

 

So my dad calls me yesterday while I’m talking to a friend online.  This is the convo.  Please remember I’m talking to him and trying to talk to my friend online.  I finally gave up, mid typing, to handle my dad.

 

My thoughts/actions during the convo are in asterisks.

 

Dad:  Hey flying_monkees, got a question for you.

Me:  K, what?

Dad:  You said that Son #1 wanted headphones, right?  Which ones?

Me:  They’re $10.  I can’t remember the brand *I’d bought them months earlier* but I know they’re soft and they come in a bunch of cool colors.  Pink, electric blue, black, red…

Dad:  Oh, okay.  Well they’ve got some here that clip on over your ear.

Me:  Don’t get those, Son #1 hates those, he says they pinch his ears.  He just wants the ear bud ones.

Dad:  Oh, okay.  Well, they have ear buds here but they’re $20.

Me:  No, not those.  I know they’re $10.  I got them this summer…

Dad:  That was this summer.  They may not have them anymore

Me:  Well, I saw different ones just last week for the same price.  Not sure if they’re as good.

Dad:  I don’t see any for $10, I only see the clip-ons and the $20 ones.

Me:  Don’t get the clip-ons, he hates those.  They have to have them somewhere.  Are you at Wal-Mart?

Dad:  Yeah.  I don’t see them anywhere.

Me:  Let me see if I can find the box mine came in.  *digs around in room, doesn’t find them* Nope, can’t find them.  I do have my pair here tho.  They say JVC.

Dad:  What?  What kind?

Me:  *rolling eyes* J-V-C.

Dad:  Oh.  No, just the $20 ones.

Me:  Go ask a sales clerk, they’d know where they are.

Dad:  I’m not going to go ask a clerk.

*rinse, repeat to go ask a clerk*

Me:  Well I saw them in the middle aisle right next to the $5 bin for movies, back by electronics.

Dad:  Electronics?  I’m not in electronics.

Me:  *WTF?  Where are you then?* That’s where I saw them.  Did you check where they have all the headphone stuff, right across from the games?

Dad:  *shuffling noise*  That’s where I am now.  Oh!  I see the Sony ones.

Me:  Well, that might work then.  I don’t know if he’ll like those as well.  You sure they don’t have the JVC ones?  Go ask someone.

Dad:  I’m not going to go….hey!  I found the JVC ones

Me:  *beating head against the wall*  Good, what do they say?

Dad:  They say “Gummi” and they’re $10.  They have pink, dark blue, light blue, red…

Me:  Those are the ones.   He wants black, do they have black?

Dad:  No, but the dark blue ones will be ok.

*trying to think as Son #1’s shuffle is purple*

Me:  He really wanted black *he did*, so ask someone if they have black ones.  Otherwise I guess the dark blue will work.

Dad:  I don’t see any black ones, the dark blue should be ok.

Me:  Ask for the black ones, that’s what he really wants.  If not, get the blue.  Anything else?

Dad:  Nope, that should do it.  Bye.  *click*

 

You have to understand this is the condensed version.  This actually went on for about 10-15 minutes!  *sigh*  I really do love my dad, but some days….