You know how everyone always says they don't want to become their parents? It's the perfect plot to any sitcom - I am specifically reminded of an episode of "Friends" when Rachel is trying to teach Joey how to sail, in the process she yells at him uncontrollably. Joey finally screams back that he's quitting and her reply is..."Green's don't quit!". She immediately is horrified because she realizes that she has become her father. She goes on to make the comment that she has been trying so hard not to become her mother that she just didn't see this one coming.
If I were to become my mother, that wouldn't be such a bad thing to me. Maybe the uncontrollable need to keep everything might drive Leonard the brink of insanity but other than that, it can't be such a bad thing. If I were to become my Dad on the other hand...I might be afraid. I have always known that, for me, that is where the real danger lies. My Dad and I were two peas in a pod...almost identical personalities yet somehow different enough that I never really thought I could become that bad.
Well last night it happened. I became Dad. Leonard and I were discussing our strategies for dealing with Little Leo and the whole church thing, when I made the comment "He can be stubborn all he wants, but you know what? So am I. And I'll just keep riding him and riding him, until I break him!" Immediately as the words escaped my mouth, I followed with a gasp of horror. Those were the exact words my Dad used when describing me to Leonard.
As Leonard and I prepared to be married, my Dad pulled him aside, and gave him this piece of advice: 'Leonard, Liz will make you a really good wife some day. But she's sort of like a mustang - she's stubborn and wild. You're going to have to ride her and ride her and once you break her...she'll make a really good horse' (Leonard told me this only after my father had died, and I tell you for his sake he was lucky he was already dead)
Leonard laughed and laughed because he knew exactly why I was horror-struck. I am exactly like my father...we were never so different that there wasn't any danger of me becoming him. I WAS EXACTLY HIM, THAT IS WHY I THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME.
Oh, for shame...
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6 comments:
Hahahaha! How clever your hubby and father were. Your hubby for keeping to himself until there was nothing you could do about it. And your father for knowing that Leo would not tell you. That is the best <3
And as for you becoming dad, can't be that bad. You turned out great :D
That is so funny. And I agree with Iris, you turned out alright :)
ABUELOOOOO....He was a good man; he just didn't have a mother around. He does say the darnedest things.
Here's a wish for "all" things to work our with your challenges.
There is nothing wrong being Abuelo, because he was brutaly honest about everything. At least you are being honest with Leo. Good luck with everything.
I'm sure that Dad was next to you laughing!
Lizzy you are wonderful, just like you are! :)
This is hilarious. I can totally see him saying that.
P.S. One swallow does not a summer make.
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