My Day With Dad

by Sharon Shope
(Florence, Alabama, USA)

RINNNNGGGG! What was that sound? I opened my eyes just enough to see some light, and then I rolled back over to go back to sleep. Dad's alarm clock! That's what I was hearing. Today was going to be our special day together and dad had set the clock so we wouldn't waste any time.

I jumped out of bed and shrugged out of my pajamas. Fast as I could, I pulled on some shorts and a shirt and then I shoved my feet into my tennis shoes. I was going to beat Dad getting ready for our day. We had a lot of jobs planned and if we got all those done, we would do some fun things, too.

Dad was already in the kitchen, putting bread in the toaster and getting the juice and milk out of the refrigerator.

"Hey, Andy! Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"I sure did, Dad. But, as soon as I heard your alarm, I woke up fast. I want to help you with all your jobs today."

"Well, we need to eat a good breakfast first, so we'll have lots of energy to get everything done."

Dad and I sat at the table and ate our breakfast. I was glad that Mom and my sisters like to sleep late on Saturdays. That meant Dad and I could have some time alone- some manly time. We had lots to talk about.

"What do you think we should do first, Andy?" asked Dad.

"Well, Mom has been wanting her little cabinet fixed. The door won't stay closed."

"Okay, let's get my tools, and we'll tackle that job first."

I got Dad's toolbox out of the basement and took it to the living room where the cabinet was. Dad told me what tool he needed, and I got it from the toolbox and handed it to him. He even let me use the screwdriver to tighten the new hinge he put on the cabinet door.

"You're very good with tools, Andy. You're my right hand, handy man!" Dad looked at me with a smile. I smiled back. I love it when I make my dad proud.

"Okay, that job is finished. Now we need to cut the grass. You can rake up the grass after I mow it. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me, Dad." I walked with him out the garage and got the rake off the wall. "I know to stay away from the lawnmower while you're mowing. I'll wait til there is enough grass to rake up. I'll go water Mom's flowers while I'm waitng."

"That will make your Mom very happy. Thanks for thinking of it," said Dad. I watered Mom's flowers and picked the wilted blooms of the plants. Then I got the broom and swept the walk. I wanted Dad to see what a good worker I am.

When Dad was almost finished mowing, he let me ride on the lawnmower with him. That is so much fun. He even let me steer it. Then I raked up the grass while Dad put the mower back in the garage. He brought out another rake and helped me. "We make a good team, don't we, Dad?"

"We sure do, Andy. Now let's hang our new hammock out under the trees for Mom." We got Dad's toolbox back out, and screwed hooks in two trees, so we could hang the hammock from the hooks. Mom had always wanted a hammock in the backyard.

"That looks good- why don't we try it out," Dad said with a grin. I grinned back at him. He knew how much I loved to swing in a hammock. We both piled into it and swung back and forth under the trees. There was a good little breeze.

"Hey guys, how about some lemonade?" Mom walked out to the hammock and gave us each a glass. "Thanks, Andy, for helping Dad put up my hammock. And thanks, too, for watering my flowers-you're a big help."

Dad winked at me. "I told him he's my right hand, handy man!"

"Well, you handymen done alot of work today. I think you need to do something fun now," said Mom. "Someone left two tickets to the baseball game on the kitchen table. Do you think you could take a litte time off and go to the game?"

"Oh boy! That would be great!" I jumped up and down excitedly. "Can we, Dad? Please?"

Dad laughed and gave me a hug. "I promised we'd do something fun today, too," he said. "Let's get cleaned up and we'll head over to the game."

I looked up at him with a big grin. It didn't matter to me if we were working or playing- just being with my dad was always fun!