>Memory
>When my 15-year-old stepdaughter was five or so, she landed the role of a teddy bear in a local production of Babes in Toyland.
The performance has grown legendary in her mind. Many pictures were taken, which still routinely make their way out of the photo box today when 15 pores over the visual evidence of her glory days. Recently, she rediscovered the cast t-shirt in a moving box and wears it to school a few times a month as a retro find.
So you’d think Hubs, the quintessential involved dad, would have taken note of all of these things. Unfortunately, no, for at his core, he is only a man.
“You don’t remember any of the plays I’ve been in,” 15 accused him last night as he sat limp with fatigue in a kitchen chair after a long day of work.
“Yes I do,” he said. “You were in Grease. And Annie.”
“What play was I in when I was five?”
He paused.
“Hubs, you know this one,” I said, trying to help him. “She wears the t-shirt from it once a week.”
“You were a… teddy bear,” he stammered. Suddenly, a lightbulb switched on behind his eyes.
“Christmas! It was called Christmas!” Hubs sat back, deeply satisfied by his astonishing powers of recall.
The girls and I started laughing. “Christmas?!” 15 shouted.
“Uh… I meant Toys for Tots!” Hubs tried again. We laughed harder.
“BABES IN TOYLAND!” 15 shrieked. “And my character’s name was Bru Bear! How could you forget that?!”
So young parents? Heed my advice. Take copious notes now on the stage productions in which your children are appearing. Today, they seem cute and perhaps, ahem, forgettable. But later, I assure you, they will come back to haunt you.
And if you figure out where I can find a copy of Toys for Tots, let me know.
>Us men just can’t remember things like you women can. Just yesterday, my wife berated me for not remembering that it was anniversary of the day we moved in together. Sheesh! And last week, I apparently forgot the dog’s birthday. Man, my daughter’s going to be pissed when she gets older!
>It’s good to see that 15 is honing her “you don’t remember when…” skills already! Poor Hubs, he tried so hard! But it’s only going to get worse, isn’t it!
>Your poor guy. Just a couple weeks ago my hubs woke me up with a great big kiss and flowers and everything. Wanted to wish me a happy anniversary. Very nice of him. Of course it would have been a lot nicer eight days later on the day of our real anniversary…It’s gotta be a guy thing.
>I got hit with this the other day, when my Teen played me a Backstreet Boys song and asked me if I could remember where it was from. Why from her talent show performance 5 years ago of course. Cha-ching!But she has already recognized the male inability to remember dates as she watches her stepfather forget our anniversary date every year despite it being engraved on the inside of his wedding band. Hopeless…
>Praise God that my oldest daughter was five only two years ago. Thanks for the warning. I’m creating a box of memorabilia tomorrow, lest I be caught forgetting like Hubs!
>you are funny…Big Wave has him beat though my blogging friend. He forgot what grade #3 was in and couldn’t tell the call sick line so he just mumbled something that could have been first or second…More important though….is that YOU even know the name of the bloody play and… were you even there?YOU ROCK Cinders….
>Today I realized that Henry has lost his first TWO teeth during a window where I have NO functioning camera. I suck. And I’m sure he will remind me of it when he’s older. Dammit.And Tori makes a good point: good for YOU for remembering something that happened before your time. You DO rock.
>too funny! i feel your pain… my husband seriously acts like a guest in our lives… the kids have swimming? they go to tennis? really, school meeting?AHHHHHH!!!
>Since my two oldest are boys – this won’t be an issue. They’ll never remember that I don’t remember in the first place.My daughter, on the other hand, is already busting me for things I don’t remember – and she’s only 10. I guess we’ll just have to chalk it up to Venus and Mars.
>at least he didn’t say Toys in Babeland.That’s a dildo store.
>Fortunately my dad is as big a musical fag as I am (probably where I got it from). My high school graduation gift was the album (yes album) of every show I had ever been in, and I love him for it.
>Poor dad! He was tired! And that’s what moms (and step-moms) are for. Men are completely handicapped when it comes to remembering anything.
>i have heard of shots for tots…
>I have a 13 & 12 year old daughter. My husband said if the hormones get worse as they get older he will have to build a bunker for him and our son!
>lol. I just asked my Hubs the other day if he knew what the day was- being our one month anniversary of marriage.I knew he didn’t know. It’s just fun to watch them squirm. 🙂
>THANK YOU for the reminder. Girlie was at a poetry recital for her class and I know I will be quizzed in 2017 about the poem she read. (Boa Constrictor by Shel Silverstein).