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Dad Can I
Help?
By Bill Kirk
The long weekend beckoned--
I’d written my list.
And I was quite sure
There was nothing I’d missed.
No yard work distractions,
No carpools to do.
The weekend was mine
Until I was through.
I had all my hardware
And lumber galore.
I’d work on the deck;
Replace an old door.
I set up my saw
And tested my drill.
With anticipation
I felt quite a thrill.
“No stopping me now,”
I thought, a bit smug.
Then all of a sudden,
I felt a slight tug.
A bit irritated,
I turned with a glance
To see my small son
Grab the leg of my pants.
What could I do?
Did I have any choice,
When my little son asked
In his little boy voice?
“Dad, can I help?
I just need some glue
And maybe a nail,
Some wood and a screw.”
“I’ll be very careful
And do what you say.
I promise, I’ll try
To stay out of your way.”
I felt the deck slipping
Right out of my grasp.
The door would remain
On its very last gasp.
But just as my list
Outdistanced my reach
I saw that my job
Was really to teach.
We built a small boat
With a deck and a sail
Out of two bits of wood,
Some string and a nail;
Then battled some pirates
And found chests of gold.
With each new adventure
A story was told.
We sawed and we hammered
Until we were done
With all of our work—
Like father, like son.
I never did finish
My list on that day,
Instead I spent time
With my son, just to play.
For some life appointments,
A Dad can’t be late.
Those long weekend projects
Sometimes have to wait.
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