June 19
...serving up your daily dish.
Dear Betty,
My child (age fifteen) doesn’t want to spend her allowance on a present for Father’s Day. She wants me to pay for it for her. Meanwhile, when I ask me husband what he wants for Father’s Day, he says his real desire is for me to “come to Papa.” I want to head for the hills. Any suggestions?
Signed, Squeezed on South Fullerton
Dear South,
Nowhere does it say that money must be spent on the Hallmark holidays, or any holiday for that matter. It sounds as though your daughter is protecting her own interests, which is something we want to encourage in our girls, isn’t it? She’s already fifteen, time for her to learn the fine art of teaching a man what to expect. You may suggest to her that she give her father an IOU for a service; his car washed, the lawn mowed, an evening out for just the two of them.
As for you—it sounds as though you may have made a few slip ups in that department in the past. Now’s the time to make some resolutions and stick to them. Remember, you are setting a tone and a pattern. Heading for the hills is extreme, and not really a solution. There’s nothing that says that you, too, can’t hand your husband an IOU. Or do as my friend does; close your eyes and do what it takes to get back to the book you are eager to keep reading reading after he goes to sleep. That should give you a month of Sundays all to yourself.
June 19, 2005 in Betty Says | Permalink
Wow. Such cheery notions.
Happy Father's Day everyone!
Posted by: Right of Center™ | Jun 19, 2005 10:09:45 AM
I'll second the Father's Day greetings. Have agrand one!
As for the question and the advice, though, it's like a combination of something from the 50's and "The Playboy Adviser." Weird. What would Betty Friedan think?
Posted by: cathar | Jun 19, 2005 10:38:43 AM
I think these suggestions are tongue in cheek (pun intended)
Posted by: Pam | Jun 19, 2005 3:29:08 PM
Well, they wouldn't have been up until 1968 or even later, and maybe not even now in the Bunnymag.
Posted by: cathar | Jun 19, 2005 4:38:42 PM
IOUs? Now that would have been a moving gift for Father's Day. Glad we don't celebrate it.
Posted by: walleroo | Jun 20, 2005 9:24:14 AM
Okay, I apologize, it's now finally dawning on me, after a bunch of weeks, that this feature is basically tongue in cheek. Whether the letters that engender such replies are, I won't even guess.
It still might be nice to see some truly gritty-sounding advice here, however, given that the "ethicist" in the NYT is such a clear wimp and Betty obviously isn't.
And walleroo, as a matter of fact there is a country song (there's always a country song!), "No Charge," by Melba Montgomery (who's duetted with Gene Pitney) that deals with the issue of parental "IOU's." It's sung by a mother to her child who's trying to collect on his/her services. Dig it up sometime, it's equally valid on both Mother's and Father's days.
Posted by: cathar | Jun 20, 2005 9:32:23 AM
I will, cathar, thanks. But in the meantime, I have a question for you: is there any subject at all you can't riff on?
Posted by: walleroo | Jun 20, 2005 9:45:52 AM
The correct reply to your astute question, walleroo, is, naturellement, that there's no subject that either the Bible or the wonderful world of country music can't riff on. I am merely the occasional vessel of transport. (As the oracle of Delphi was, he added modestly.) So, methinks, are others here.
Posted by: cathar | Jun 20, 2005 11:55:32 AM
Miss Martta, I have oft reveled (and often sadly later on when I came to my senses) that I've had friends in low places. The good people who post here are even, I suspect, something of a verbal (and/or moral) step up from many of my past cronies.
The "Rif," of course (do you remember the old Sigmund Romberg operetta "The Desert Song?"), were longtime, and diehard, opponents of the French. That partially endears them to me right there.
And the raffish are always with us, I hope. They are the sort of people who loudly note, as she walks down the aisle with some investment banker-type (and as a country song yet again tells us, even if it was written by a Brit), that "I knew the bride when she used to rock and roll."
Posted by: cathar | Jun 20, 2005 1:43:00 PM
Dear South Fullerton,
You are a very fortunate woman. Your husband of these many years is still interested in you! Rejoice! Enjoy the attention. Take this opportunity to enhance your relationship. Children only stick around so long and then it's just the two of you.
Posted by: COG DOM | Jun 20, 2005 9:03:46 PM
