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Her hair was up in a ponytail
Her favorite dress tied
with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school,
And she couldn't wait to go.
But her mommy tried to tell her,
That
she probably should stay home.
Why the kids might not understand,
If she went to school alone.
But she was not afraid;
She
knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates
Of why he wasn't there today.
But still her mother worried,
For
her to face this day alone.
And that was why once again,
She tried to keep her daughter home.
But the little girl
went to school,
Eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees
A dad who never calls.
There were daddies along
the wall in back,
For everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently,
Anxious in their seats.
One by one the
teacher called,
A student from the class..
To introduce their daddy,
As seconds slowly passed.
At last the teacher
called her name,
Every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching,
For a man who wasn't there.
"Where's
her daddy at?"
She heard a boy call out.
"She probably doesn't have one,"
Another student dared to shout.
And
from somewhere near the back,
She heard a daddy say,
"Looks like another deadbeat dad,
Too busy to waste his day."
The
words did not offend her,
As she smiled up at her Mom.
And looked back at her teacher,
Who told her to go on.
And
with hands behind her back,
Slowly she began to speak.
And out from the mouth of a child,
Came words incredibly unique.
"My
Daddy couldn't be here,
Because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be,
Since this is such a special
day.
And though you cannot meet him,
I wanted you to know.
All about my daddy,
And how much he loves me so.
He
loved to tell me stories
He taught me to ride my bike.
He surprised me with pink roses,
And taught me to fly a kite.
We
used to share fudge sundaes,
And ice cream in a cone.
And though you cannot see him,
I'm not standing here alone.
Cause
my daddy's always with me,
Even though we are apart
I know because he told me,
He'll forever be in my heart"
With
that, her little hand reached up,
And lay across her chest.
Feeling her own heartbeat,
Beneath her favorite dress.
And
from somewhere in the crowd of dads,
Her mother stood in tears.
Proudly watching her daughter,
Who was wise beyond
her years.
For she stood up for the love
Of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her,
Doing what was
right.
And when she dropped her hand back down,
Staring straight into the crowd.
She finished with a voice so soft,
But
its message clear and loud.
"I love my daddy very much,
He's my shining star.
And if he could, he'd be here,
But
heaven's just too far.
You see he was a fireman
And died just this past year
When airplanes hit the towers
And
taught Americans to fear.
But sometimes when I close my eyes,
It's like he never went away."
And then she closed
her eyes,
And saw him there that day.
And to her mother's amazement,
She witnessed with surprise.
A room full
of daddies and children,
All starting to close their eyes.
Who knows what they saw before them,
Who knows what they
felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second,
They saw him at her side.
"I know you're with me Daddy,"
To the silence
she called out.
And what happened next made believers,
Of those once filled with doubt.
Not one in that room could
explain it,
For each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her,
Was a fragrant long-stemmed
pink rose.
And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,
By the love of her shining bright star.
And given the gift
of believing,
That heaven is never too far..
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Daddy's Dating Rules
Rule One: If
you pull into my driveway and honk you'd better be delivering a package, because you're sure not picking anything up.
Rule Two: You
do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If
you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter's body, I will remove them.
Rule Three: I
am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling
off their hips. Please don't take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to
be fair and open minded about this issue, so I propose this compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing
and your pants ten sizes to big, and I will not object. However, in order to ensure that your clothes do not, in fact come
off during the course of you date with my daughter, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten your trousers securely in
place to your waist.
Rule Four: I'm
sure you've been told that in today's world, sex without utilizing a "Barrier method" of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate,
when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.
Rule Five: It
is usually understood that in order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues
of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my
daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is: "early"
Rule Six: I
have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is
okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until
she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.
Rule Seven: As
you stand in my front hallway, waiting for my daughter to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If
you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process than can take
longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don't you do something useful, like changing
the oil in my car?
Rule Eight: The
following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter: Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than
a wooden stool. Places where there is darkness. Places where there is dancing, holding hands, or happiness. Places where the
ambient temperature is warm enough to introduce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other
than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka -- zipped up to her throat. Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme
are to be avoided; movies which features chain saws are okay. Hockey games are okay. Old folks homes are better.
Rule Nine: Do
not lie to me. I may appear to be a potbellied, balding, middle-aged, dimwitted has-been. But on issues relating to my daughter,
I am the all-knowing, merciless God of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance
to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and five acres behind the house.
Do not trifle with me.
Rule Ten: Be
afraid. Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a chopper coming
in over a rice paddy near Hanoi. When my Agent Orange starts acting up, the voices in my head frequently tell me to clean
the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull into the driveways you should exit the car with
both hands in plain sight. Speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home
safely and early, then return to your car -- there is no need for you to come inside. The camouflaged face at the window is
mine
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