The Family That Plays Together

by Veronica Fields Johnson

Me, Gary, and Darnell came to Daddy’s new place to visit and entertain him for a little while, then take him out for a meal. We ended up sitting outside his senior citizens’ apartment complex, waiting for him to come home. We always sat in the same position. Gary, who takes everything in stride, smiling on the left, Darnell, ever stylish, but paying attention to everything else but the conversation, frowning on my right, and me. I am always in the middle, trying to keep the peace. 

My siblings and I thought when we moved him to our city to have him closer to us, the old player would slow down, but that was not the case. He’d told us on more than one occasion, he didn’t need looking after so I guess he was trying to prove his point.

His nosy neighbor, Ms. Francine, whom Daddy had apparently jilted, told me he was on a lunch date up at the Chinese restaurant up the street. “Lynn, he don’t need to be getting fresh with that hussy Mary.” She turned up her nose. “Wednesdays are senior discount days at the buffet and your Daddy said he was taking me this week."

Gary was celebrating. “I don’t see a problem. Dad needs a nice companion.”

Darnell was player-hating. “He better not be out with Mary from the second floor. I know she didn’t turn me down for a date with my old man.”

 I was trying to stay neutral, at least until I got a good look at the woman Daddy was supposedly wining and dining.

We sat there for about 30 minutes before we saw Daddy and Mary on the sidewalk walking toward the building. They were so engrossed in conversation that they didn’t pay us any mind.

Darnell was the first one to notice them. “Ain’t this some BS. That old man is wearing the Polo tracksuit I gave him for Christmas and Mary got the nerve to have on the one I gave her, too.”   

Gary couldn’t turn down an opportunity to poke fun at our older brother. “You came up off some money to give that woman a gift? I thought you only liked the sugar mamas.”

“Come on guys,” I said. “We don’t need to make a scene out here in front of all these people. Let them get over here then we can go inside and talk.”

Mary had a little pep in her step until she noticed us, or rather Darnell, staring at them as they got closer. She stumbled over her words. “Oh, um, what are you all doing here?”

Before any of us could answer, Ms. Francine raced out the front door of the complex with a tennis racket in her right hand and commenced to swinging at Mary, shocking everybody. In what I could only describe as the slowest foot chase I’d ever seen, Francine and Mary took off in the opposite direction, while Daddy came and sat next to me like nothing had happened.

Gary was laughing so hard he couldn’t speak.

Darnell closed his eyes and tried some breathing exercises to keep himself from cussing.

I just shook my head and chuckled. “I think we’re going to have to find you a new place to live, Daddy.”

“Baby girl, don’t worry about me,” Daddy said. “I know how to fix it with both ladies. All I have to do is have some private conversations and we’ll work it all out.”

For my own sake I hoped he was right, because as much as I love him, my Daddy sure couldn’t come live with me. 

He plays too much.