Two Gay Dads

Life in the Wilkinson household is never dull. Frustrating - yes. Frantic - yes. Funny - sometimes, yes, but dull - NEVER. The neighbor jokes that when life gets too calm we create our own excitement. I suppose it's true. For New Year's Day John and I got to go to San Marcos to try to figure out what was wrong with JB's old truck. He made it a block or two from his apartment as he headed to work (a job he'd only been at for a couple of weeks), and it died. He found a friend to take him to work and called his father to help with the mechanics. Being a good wife and mommy, I tagged along. 

We weren't able to get the thing going and returned home to regroup and figure out what to do. It was decided that John would borrow a car dolly from his good friend and tow the truck to Cedar Park where another friend (mechanic) would do the repairs. It shouldn't be too big of a deal - in theory. I wasn't there. I was at work, but here's how JB explained the situation.

John and Bill (the friend) both showed up. The truck was parked on a hill and would need to be pushed onto the dolly. It would take more than just John and JB to push the huge heavy thing around. Bill is retired and had nothing better to do that watch over his precious dolly as it was used for its intended purpose, so he joined the party. Mainly just to oversee the proper use of his property, but perhaps he was a bit of help. After several hours of fighting with the truck and dolly, and John and Bill arguing with each other about the best way to do things, they managed to get her all loaded up and proceeded to go have a nice Mexican dinner. 

San Marcos isn't that big. JB probably sees people he knows wherever he goes. Unfortunately, the menu at this place was rather large. Bill is known for being something of a knit-picky tightwad and, of course, wanted to make sure he got the best food for the best price. John doesn't worry about such things. He's willing to pay a reasonable amount for good food with minimal hassle.  The waiter had to be thoroughly questioned about all the choices in order for Bill to make his decision on lunch. He wanted to know which was the best choice of sauce for enchiladas; how did each one taste; was it hot, medium or mild; what did it go best with; how was it made... I'm not sure all the questions that were asked, but as the interrogation was going on John began to get flustered. He was saying, "Bill, just pick one. It's just enchilada sauce. It's red. It's green." Doing his best to answer questions without allowing Bill to offend and annoy the waiter. The two of them were bantering back and forth, and all the while JB was sitting there looking around, hoping that no one he knew was witnessing what appeared to be his two gay dads arguing. Finally, John suggested that the waiter just bring Bill a sample of each of the sauces to expedite the ordering process. Evidently the plan worked. They got their lunch and ate. But Bill continued with the whining about the cost while John told him to calm down. 

According to JB they looked as if they had been married for years (actually they've been good friends for about 25 years, and are comfortable fussing at each other). He's pretty sure someone is going to wonder how he turned out "normal" growing up in such a household. As he told his sisters and me the story he was laughing so hard he was about to cry. I can just imagine the two of them going at it. They are almost like an old Abbott and Costello routine, one of them constantly cutting off the other in mid-sentence to try to make his point and be heard. I've often laughed at their relationship. It's a bit odd, but they've been friends for so long they are comfortable telling each other like it is. And now that it's been pointed out to me that my son has two gay (almost homophobic) dads I may never be able to watch John and Bill together again without a little snicker. The irony is too incredible.

Times TWO

Almost 19 years ago I found out I was going to have twins. The next afternoon I attended a senior class meeting (I was a class sponsor) and listened to all the expenses the students were going to have to deal with over the next few weeks - graduation invitations, caps and gowns, prom tickets, yearbooks. The list seemed to go on and on. I thought to myself, "All this times two! How will we ever do it?" I really had no idea what we were in for. I was only hearing about a few of the expenses of being a senior in high school. My eyes were opened (just a little) for the first time three years ago when JB was going through the process. He was pretty sure where he wanted to go to school and only applied to one or two schools. He didn't re-take any standardized tests to try to get a better score. All in all, he was pretty cheap. And he didn't prepare me for this year at all!

Once again, tonight I was asked for the "college card". The new name for my debit card used to pay the application fees for each college. That card has gotten a workout the past 17 weeks. It's a wonder they don't have the number memorized. Two kids, a minimum of 4 schools each! Plus SAT fees, ACT fees, the fees to send scores to more schools, theatre program application fees, unknown fees. Before I know it we'll be paying dorm reservation fees and freshman orientation fees... Fees, fees, fees! I'm sure there are others I've forgotten about in the past three years. 

Next fall there will be three of them in school. It's a little scary, but I'm so proud of all of them for working hard enough to even have the opportunity to get there. Three out of three have put my poor little card to work in preparation to prepare for their "real" lives. I don't know if they'll make it in the world as an archaeologist or an actor or a nutritionist, but I know they will work had and do their best and be successful in whatever they ultimately decide to do.