Test Drive

When I talked to mom she couldn’t remember where they’d been that morning, but my dad had gone out again and she didn’t know when he’d be back. (Mom’s memory is missing.)

So, I called later and talked to my dad. He said after they got home, he went out to the Hyundai dealer because they kept sending papers to him in the mail and he didn’t want them. While he was there, he looked at the new Sante Fe SUV (he has a 2005 Sante Fe). The salesman asked him if he’d like to test drive it. So off they went. And had a nice drive about 4:00 in the afternoon.

He returned to the dealership, then came on home and all was well.

“How much do they want for those?” I asked.

“We didn’t get to that,” he said. He used to love to take his latest car passion for a test drive. He’s test driven a lot of Toyotas.

“Do you have a Hyundai dealer out there?” he asked.

I said I was sure there is one not too far away, but I didn’t know where.

“Well, you outta treat yourself and go for a test drive.”

BBs

I called and my dad answered.

“What’cha doing?” I asked.

“I’m sitting at the table putting some BBs in a gun,” he said. “I wrapped a few presents and thought I’d do something different.” (It’s early December.)

“Oh, what do you need the gun for?” I inquired.

“Why? Are you going to tell me I shouldn’t?” he replied. Immediately defensive. Hmmm. That hasn’t happened in a while.

Me: “No I just wondered why you were doing it.” Better change the subject. “Did you decorate your tree?”

“No, haven’t decorated it yet. Are you going to get after me about that now?” he said.

Wow, that’s different.

“Let me talk to mom,” I said looking for a way out.

So then mom picked up and said his behavior is different today.

Furnace Filters and Ice Cubes

“Hey Daddy. What have you been doing today?”

“I just finished changing the furnace filters. It’s going to get cold and we need to turn on the heat. I replaced five filters,” he said.

Me: “Five filters? Why so many?” Their house is less than 3000 square feet.

“Well, there was the one on the furnace and one on each cold-air return.” I’m rolling my eyes.

“It was a hot job. I poured a glass of Coke. I put some ice cubes in it and drank it. Then I rinsed off the ice cubes and put them back in the freezer.”

Me: “Don’t save the ice cubes. They have germs on them. Just throw them in the drain. You have plenty of ice.”

Him: “I like to use the ice cubes again.”

Pea Soup

“I’ve been making some pea soup,” he said. 

He’s never cooked in his life. He rarely goes in the kitchen.

Me: “Why are you doing that?”

“Because the stuff you get in the store has too much salt in it.” 

He loves to buy Campbell soup when he goes shopping.

Me: “Oh. Well, how did it turn out?”

“Well, it’s been sitting here on the counter a couple of days. It has a film on top.”

Me: “Daddy, you need to pour that out. It should have been refrigerated. The film on top is bacteria or mold. Just throw it out.”

“I guess I’ll take it outside and pour it in the yard. It’ll stop up the drain if I pour it in the sink.”