The Origin of Father’s Day
Yes I remembered Father’s Day. I called him in the morning and wished my mom a happy Father’s Day because she’s the one who answered and it always makes her laugh when do stuff like that. I didn’t talk to my dad though since he had just left for a walk.
“Do you want him to call you back?” my mom asked. “No, it’s okay. He’ll just tell me who he talked to on his walk and I never know any of the people he meets,” I replied. “Besides, I’ll see him when I come visit next week.”
“You are coming next week?” she asked.
“I thought I told you.” (I did.)
“We are going to visit [insert people I don’t know here] next week.”
Sigh. “The week after then?”
“Sure! What do you want for supper?”
“That’s two weeks away, mom. I’ll eat what you make.”
What followed was 5 minutes of meal planning. Anyway, here’s what I should have posted yesterday:
[Originally posted June 16, 2024]
The Origin of Father’s Day
Father’s Day, the much often neglected holiday (as opposed to Mother’s Day), has its beginnings over one hundred thousand years ago. Really. Due to a recent discovery deep in a cave—the location has been kept secret—we now have a transcript of that momentous day.
Oggy: Mom? Who is that stinky, hairy guy that keeps dragging in carcasses?
Mom: That’s your father, Oggy. Please be respectful. He works hard at hunting to feed us.
Oggy: Works hard?! He doesn’t hunt. I’ve seen him steal from the hyenas!
Mom: Is that so? Hmmm. That would explain the teeth marks on the femurs. Either way, he does bring us food.
Oggy: If you call rotting flesh, food. Tell him to invent fire so we can cook it, or at the very least, he could cultivate some limes so you can make ceviche.
Mom: Well, it wouldn’t hurt to thank him once and a while.
Oggy: Fine. I’ll thank him today, but that’s it.
Mom: How about every twelve times that circle in the sky is actually a circle.
Oggy: Aww, Mom. You know I can’t count past these.
[We can only assume he holds up his fingers]
Mom: Fine. Here are some clam shells. Just go buy him a card.
True story. Now you know.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!
-Leon
Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words, and his latest sci-fi mystery, Euphrates Vanished.
My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/
Free books? Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and choose one or more!
books.linesbyleon.com/Newslettersignup
