eggwards | Oct. 18th, 2004

Last night with the parents went pretty smoothly. There wasn't much on the questioning side. My father is quiet, as usual. Mom talked about inconsequential things, and a lot about my sister, as she always does. Since my sister doesn't talk to her, she tries to get news and dirt out of me.

I gave a tour of my apartment to them. Maybe they noticed the magnets, but they certainly didn't mention them. The pictures of various travels and the LJ'ers I've met were around, but they too, went unmentioned. In particular, a picture of Jim

jrjarrett and Dave

drmrdave hugging by a Wisconsin lake was passed by as my Dad commented on the picture of our dog, Fritz, long since passed, and Fritz got a nod of approval.

I used the opportunity to pull up some pictures of Chris'

oakleycub dog Joey on the internet. Dad looked a little as I tried to describe Joey's American McFlippy characteristics. Mom then said, "He has a dog?" "Yes Mom, we've discussed this." "Oh, well I didn't remember." "Heck, Laura takes care of her when Chris is out!" "Really?" Ahh, that got her attention.

We watched the remaining innings of the Astros game as I explained the power of TiVo to them. I'm starting to get used to the fact that they just aren't going to ask about things. I guess it's OK, I just wonder if there's something I need to say, or need to tell them. I'm sure if it was important enough, they would have said something, or I would bring up the topic, but nothing seemed that important. They know I'm gay, and they know about Chris. I guess that's all that's really necessary.

From there we went out and about looking at the apartment complex, then out on the town. It had been some ten years since Mom had been in the big city, so there was a lot to point out. We stopped by the new wing of the Galleria, drove down the new tollway, and saw the incredible killer train (68 crashes and counting...). We went by my work building but didn't stop in.

We started talking politics for a minute, but as we got into it, I decided to let it drop. Something about the bungling of the flu shot supply Mom, in perfectly good health, but a bit of a hypochondriac, got one the other day - I refuse to get one, every year, and am admonished for doing so. This year I win. Dad started to blame the shortage on Clinton. Um, hello, he's been out of office for three and a half years. Couldn't the Bush Administration fix the problem?

I think I moved on to pointing out the expansion of the old basketball arena for Lakewood Church- The Oasis of Love (and tax credits).

We decided to go to Denis' Seafood, since Dad's birthday was just a few days ago, and he likes Creole cooking. I'm sort-of ehh on it. There's too much celery and onions in most of it for me. Still, I had some good shrimp and dirty rice, and to help things along, there was a really great pocket cub waiter.

I either flirted very poorly, which is certainly likely, or freaked him out a bit, but man, Dalton was damn cute. I managed to sneak in my email address with the bill. I really should print out some "business" cards.

We got back to the apartment, and they gave up the parking space for me. Over the last two months trying to get a space at our complex has been impossible at night. So much for "Master Planning". Mom wondered when I'd get back to their place, and what I was planning for my upcoming Jury Duty stint (I can't wait). I said that I'd probably do early voting on the day of Jury duty since I could walk over from the courthouse. Otherwise, I don't know.

They left quietly, allowing me to get back to the usual stuff of broken faucets and Adult Swim cartoons. For one Sunday Night I wasn't the one driving back home with a head full of thoughts.