The moonwalk, my father and me
I seem to be censoring myself, afraid to reveal more than I have.
I am trying to write a story about the night man first landed on the moon and the day of the moonwalk. It’s simple: It was my ninteenth birthday and my parents insisted I come home for the weekend.
Instead of watching with my father as I did for all historic events from the Kennedy assassination to Jack Paar crying (don’t ask–he woke me up and told me this was history) I paced back and forth. Company was supposed to come and they hadn’t arrived yet.
“What’s wrong with you?” My father asked that crazed but somehow blank look in his eyes. On our recent family vacation he had grown a mustache. His hair was too long for a Republican.
“You used to care so much. You were so passionate about everything. Every cause was yours. I don’t care, Pia, what you are are crazed about. You don’t have to have my politics. I will take anarchy, the SDS, anything. Just care.
My father looked as if he was going to have a heart attack any second as he continued. The horrible thing was inside I knew he was right but you can’t let father’s win arguments like that. I’m trying to remember what I said. It was clever. Not really.
Our relationship had been tension filled since I was sixteen and became “cute.” The moonwalk fight made it much worse. It wouldn’t really get back to what it had been until I was 25 and moved to an apartment he picked in Manhattan.
I have been thinking of this a lot lately as it was my birthday. Then the pictures of Mars.
So amazing. I wish I could share them with my father.
I no longer live in an apartment and went out to watch the meteor shower last night. Unfortunately there was a huge cloud cover and staying up until three AM was for naught and of course I feel useless today.
Courting will be eight years old on August 14th 2012. It’s amazing this blog–changed my life in too many ways to count. Though I think I was a better writer originally. Especially before anybody began reading this blog. I didn’t realize people made money from “personal” blogs in the beginning. Then I was all about “blogging purity.” Fool. I used to call Courting “proudly money losing.”
I mostly blog for Psychology Today now. I know? Where’s the book? I have to take more fragments like the above and make them into stories. If you’re one of the people who have stayed with me through thick and thin I thank you and love you. Especially Doug, Cooper, Patrick, Bone and Sag. I’m a chick writer for the male blogger. Entirely new genre I have to myself!
Love the phrase “blogging purity.” I was about that, too. Of course, look who my mentor was
When you’ve been at odds with someone, or maybe just had a strained relationship for awhile, then one or both of you do something that says, “We’re good again, all is forgiven,” without saying it, those are nice moments.
Happy early birthday, Courting. Even at your age, you still look better than most of the young blogs out there.
PS: Why does Sage get an “especially?” Kidding.
Thanks Bonefish truly appreciated. I changed the “especially” so that it makes sense. Not that Sage isn’t special. Ya’ll are
I googled Jeff Ampolsk and found your blog. I was a friend and roommate of his in the early 70′s in New Orleans. I visited his gravesite in 2000 and still remember him well to this very day. I would like to write to someone who knew him. I knew him well before he went to NYC.
I’ve been missing my blog a lot lately, and of course, as we share bloggiversaries, this only made me miss it more.
I think that all kids have to go through that stage with their parents. I’m sure you still knew he loved you – and that he knew you loved him.
Happy bloggiversary, Pia.
I still don’t understand why I get the crabby face…
@TC
Because you don’t have your real face or an avatar? Good question and one I don’t know the answer to. WordPress picks.
I look at your blog hoping you will start again
@carl
Carl I will email you soon
Of course you can’t let fathers win arguments like that. Goes straight to their heads.
Love you too Pia. Glad you’re still here.
Pieces like this together for a book….someday I hope , it will be grand Pia.