The Gazaleh Gazette

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get home before the girls went to bed last night, but when I called to say goodnight to them, Katharine wanted to tell me a story. Here is how the conversation went.

Katharine: Hi daddy.

Daddy: Who’s this? (my standard response)

Katharine: It’s Katharine. (her standard response)

Daddy: Who? (my standard response)

Katharine: Katharine! (her standard response and always with annoyance)

Daddy: Oh, hi Katharine. (my standard response)

Katharine: Guess what?

Daddy: Thanksgiving is coming? (because I assume everything is a game)

Katharine: No.

Daddy: What? I give up.

Katharine: I had gym class today…

I pause because she claims that she doesn’t like gym and I am waiting for a complaint.

Katharine: …and we were playing with balls. I was doing really well.

Now a huge smile has taken over the already pretty large smile that always (well mostly) happens when I talk on the phone to the girls. Here I am, a fairly athletic man, the father of two beautiful girls who are great but have almost no interest in anything athletic. I am getting excited because she is expressing an interest in sports.

Daddy: Yeah. And. (the excitement filling my voice)

Katharine: And Mr. Mahon (her gym teacher) was playing music.

Daddy: Yeah. And. (the excitement building even more)

Katharine: ..and guess what music was playing?

Daddy: Ah. (pause) High School Musical? (thinking it was a good guess but deep down my spirits were deflating a little bit because I can’t figure out how this is going to end with a great story about her athletic prowess)

Katharine:. No. It was Bono. Mr. Mahon was playing U2 during gym class!

Daddy: Really?

That was not the big finish I was expecting but a big finish nonetheless.

Daddy: Did you recognize the songs?

Katharine: Yes.

Daddy: Did you sing along and brag to all your friends that you are the coolest girl in school because your dad Loooooves U2?

Katharine: No.

Daddy: Why not?

Katharine: I don’t know.

So there you have it. She may not have my passion for sports but she shares my ability to pick out a U2 song when it is on. I’ll take that.