Be careful what you ask for

I was 12 years old. I was the only child and we were living in Comiso, Sicily. My dad was stationed there with the Air Force. It was a weekend, I don't remember if it was summer or not because it was hot all year round. All I know is that I was watching my dad mow the back lawn and when I asked if I could try. . . he turned around and looked at me with a smile I hadn't seen before. Sure enough, he let me try. And when I thought I was done trying, he let me try finishing the lawn. And next week, he let me try again. I don't seem to remember him ever mowing the lawn again after that fateful day. Well, the only reprieve a young man has in a situation like that is knowing that someday he'll have his own inquisitive little minds running around the house asking questions. Such as "Daddy, can I help you do the dishes?"

Sure honey, let me pull up a chair. Now I know where that smile came from.