My story today.
The plan was that soccer got done at 3 PM, drive to Dbq, drop off daughter at 4:30, drive home, arrive at 5:45. Listen to wrestling.
Problems:
1) Daughter hurts knee playing goalie. I suggest we not go to Dbq in case she’s hurting in the AM. She really wants to go. Fine, we get ice and we hop in a car and drive off.
2) Get to waterpark hotel. .4 of a mile and there’s a train! Wait five min, it’s moving slowly
3) The entire time, a clock, a wrestling PBP clock, is running in my head.
4) Train is stopped. Finally give up and figure out a detour. Daughter describes to mom “we’re not exactly on a road but we’re not on grass or anything. It’s more like a road than like a field”
5) Drop off daughter. Knee seems okay
6) Wife asks if I want to carry bags up to hotel, “No thanks” Kiss wife and get in car.
7) Phone tells me 6:46 arrival back in Marion.
8) Stop at McD for food. Takes 11 min! Killing the clock= now 6:57
9) 10 min out of Dbq, phone rings- it’s one of the daughters in Dbq. Mind is racing: Clock is ticking. Did something get left in my car. Do I need to turn around? Can’t they buy a replacement? Answer the phone “We just got rear ended”. My questions in order: “1) Are you okay? 2) Is everyone okay 3) Can you drive the car?” The answers are all “yes” in my head *so I don’t have to turn around*. The clock is still good.
10) Got home at 5:56, let dogs out, got radio, computer, bathroom stop, water for dogs, dogs back in, feed dogs and sat down for Gilman’s match.
I shared this story with my brother as I drove home. He assured me that Dante doesn’t have a level for “Dads who almost put wrestling on the radio before family”. I “met the standard” for being a father, however, at no point or time, did I “exceed expectations”. My priorities were on my family, barely.