"That's my Sailor Girl."
"I was suspicious, yes. but Mommy told me not to be overly suspicious or I would never have any fun."
"Oh, she did. huh? She left that little detail out of her summary." he said.
"She only meant to help me, to keep me from being too frightened to enjoy life," I said.
"I know. It's good advice. There's nothing pleasant about paranoia. So. I gather it was a good allaround experience. You like this disabled ballplayer?"
"He's not disabled. Daddy. He just sprained his ankle."
"Yeah, that's no fun." he said. "Since we're being honest with each other. I'll confess I'm just being a jealous father. Every father has to realize there will come a day when he will no longer be the center of his daughter's world, when someone else will step in and capture her attention and interest. I'm just a sore loser. That's all."
"No one has captured all my interest," I said.
"Maybe not, but it's a start. It's all right. You don't have to defend yourself for doing what every healthy young woman should do. I just have to grow up."
"Grow up? You?"
"We all have to grow, change, adjust constantly. Grace. It's part of life. maturing. Some resist it more than others and suffer mare."
I shook my head. I couldn't imagine my f
ather having to change a bit,
"When you stop learning, stop being openminded, you die or wilt on the branch. This is an ongoing process, this thing we call life. honey. We're on a journey, and we soon realize that's what's most important: the journey itself. If you reach a goal and stop traveling, what's the point? Understand?"
"I think so." I said.
You will. I have a great deal of faith in you. So," he said. standing. -'how's he going to take you to the end-of-the-year dance or prom if he can't stand?"
I laughed. He didn't ask me to any dance. Daddy."
"Maybe he's not as smart as I thought. Maybe you need to put your picture on a baseball card and give it to him." he kidded.
"Daddy, stop it."
"If he's got any sense, any grit, he'll be calling and asking. If not,
he's failed in his mission, Anyway, I didn't want you going to sleep angry at me."
"I wouldn't," I said "I just wouldn't sleep."
He laughed. "Okay. Sailor Girl, Sweet dreams, no matter whom they are about."
He leaned dawn to kiss me on the cheek and then gave me a salute. which I returned.
I kept my smile until after he left. I felt very lucky, lucky to have him, to have a mother like the one I had. Maybe we lived like nomads and we were uprooted too often and suffered in ways other people didn't. but I didn't feel cheated. I would never feel that way as long as I had my parents and we continued to care more about each other than we did about ourselves.
I did dream that night.
I dreamed of Trent sliding into third only not hurting himself.
He stood up and then turned toward home because I was standing there at the plate, waiting for him.
4
Men and Their Toys