La Papa

aHave you had that moment yet where you realize your parents realize that you're an adult?

It only took me 28 years.

My Dad and I were talking about the current economic hullabaloo. I was sorta trotting along with his reasoning, lulling somewhere between concession and resignation, when suddenly I countered one of my Dad's arguments with some economic data and the kind of logic that only a super-adult person might possess -- it doesn't matter what it was; it's boring.

But, yeah, I gave me ol' da the smartypants smackdown, I surely did.

And I saw a light in his eyes (the same greenish-grayish eyes that I have) that seemed to say, "How in the hell did you know that?"

And mine gleamed back, "Because I am adult now who knows these things. Scary, isn't it?"

We both got quiet, freaked out for a second, and then I said something that helped restore a sense of normalcy: "Oooh, I feel like cheese dogs and tater tots for dinner."

Then the moment was over, and we were both glad.

I'm the kid, he's the adult—that's the way it should be, I think. In fact, a lot of days I wish it were still OK to crawl up on his lap, him reading his Stephen King novel and I reading my Amelia Bedelia book, both of us silent in other worlds but still connected.

Now we talk about retirement accounts and plants that will tolerate the shade and how many miles you can go between oil changes. We fill up our time with so much conversation that we never get a chance to connect.

But, I tell you what, there is one great generational leveler: We both ate the shit out of some tater tots.

In the Comments section, tell me what your favorite frozen potato product is.