My dad had been sober for almost 2 years.
(that was his longest sobriety of my life)
My brother was gone to a friends house for the night
and my dad knew I was bored.
He said to get dressed in my nicest dress
because he was taking me to dinner.
I thought this was sorta corny....
He tried to make a big deal about it
like it was a ''Father/Daughter Night''.
I had never had a fancy dinner
with just my dad and I.
When we pulled up to Mountain Jacks
(one of the nicer restaurants in the Lansing area at the time)
I'm ashamed to admit, I was embarrassed.
It was around prom time
and I hadn't planned on ''being seen''
with my dad at a fancy restaurant.
While the hostess seated us
I grew more embarrassed
as we passed the teenage couples
sitting close together in their booths.
I couldn't believe I let him talk me into this!
All I could think was
''Thank God she put us at an out-of-the-way table! ''
Instead of enjoying myself I worried how it must look
to be seen having dinner with my dad
while other people my age where at their prom.
Afterall,16 was way too old to think dinner with daddy was fun!
I love shrimp but I had never tasted lobster tail
so my dad let me order the lobster tail
(and he ordered an appetizer platter
with the most delicious variety of shrimps I've ever tasted)
He never looked at the cost.
He ordered himself the filet mignon.
(he always gushed over how the ''rich people'' ate filet mignon) .
Well, being the brat I was, I didn't like the lobster tail.
My dad didn't either.
But, he traded me dinners and pretended he didn't mind.
I sat there and ate the filet mignon.
I never even told him thank you.
Mary Nagy
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-never-even-told-him-thank-you/
