Tuesday Play Group: Stylin'

Play group at the Y today.  Twice a week whether we like it or not.  Play group also means it's both shower and shave day for me.  The twofer is rare.

Gotta get cleaned up for play group though.  Nothing crazy.  There were no hair gels.  Or hair combs.   I try to clean up just enough so it doesn't look like I own a still.

I do own one.  I keep it in the yard.  I like to make my own moonshine;  I don't like to share it with everyone.  Or anyone.  I'm drunk on ethanol right now.  

But I did clean up nice.  Shower, shave, deodorant.  Slid on a fresh pair of sweat pants.  Pockets and crotch intact. 

One has to look somewhat presentable at playgroup.  You never want to hear “Those little ones are beautiful. Whose are they?”

“You see that guy right there?  No, the one that looks like a mug shot?  That’s him.  Nice guy!”

So, I drank some Listerine and donned a clean, dark, hooded sweatshirt and and some big sunglasses and off we went.

It's mostly moms.  A few dads.

There is the mom who wears a different, brightly-colored, sparkly, matching, sweat suit every time.  Have yet to see a repeat.

The exhausted, "I have two young boys close in age, so that is why I'm wearing a Snuggy and my hair is done up with a twist tie so fuck you," mom.  I like her.  Then there is too much make-up for play group mom, oddly old mom, enthusiastic grandma, hippy mom etc.  Nice eclectic group.

The dads are me, big bald dad who won't let his three year old son play with dolls, another guy who might be a stay-at-home dad, and hip hop korean dad, who I haven't seen in some time.  Him, I miss.  

Then there is a new dad.  Sweat pants and sweatshirt, baseball cap, glasses.  I'd put his age at a fit mid-forties. I'm not sure what to think about him.  He spends a lot of time off throwing a football against the cloth gym divider or shooting hoops at an empty basket.  I first noticed him because his kid, a four-year old boy, often ended up hanging around me, talking to me or clinging to my shoulders when I sat.

This behavior is not that unusual.  There is a natural sense of chaos that emanates from me.  It is beyond my control and it is very attractive to little kids.  So I often have a small group of 3-4 year old boys attempting to wrestle me to the ground.

This kid just feels a little different because often, it feels like he is more in search of a pat on the head or a hug and less in search of a suplex.  I give those out free of charge.   I'll suplex you right now, lady.

At first, I figured that his dad was just new to the whole nurturing dad thing.  He was probably a little uncomfortable with PDA's and being the one in charge of looking after his boy.  Pretty normal.

Then today, while his son hung around with me or by himself, I looked over and the dad was sitting against the far wall, laughing and texting.  Didn't look up for some time.  I got annoyed.

Maybe I shouldn't be.  Certainly, it's none of my business.  Anyway, to finish this post up as it was supposed to be a fun one and instead has suddenly become way to long and faintly maudlin: would anyone out there do or say something?  If not now, later?  And what would you say?

Thanks guys,

Homemaker Man


P.S.  So as not to worry my wife, I wore a clean pair of jeans today.  No crotch to speak of, but they were freshly laundered.