Targeting

Years, decades ago, I was befriended by the parents of a girlfriend. More so with her dad. Well, maybe friends, it's hard to say. I was a high school kid dating his daughter, maybe he was just keeping a close eye on me...

One day we were in the garage, doing what, I don't remember. But I do remember having a comical discussion about birds. It started when one of their freshly washed cars had been splattered with a large, grotesque drop of bird shit. He shared his theory that birds don't just drop their loads, they aim. Maybe it was just a game among birds, maybe it was just an innate need to hit things, but just the same, they aimed.

A bit later we walked out of the garage, he got partway down the driveway when bird shit landed on his shoulder. He looked at me, pointed at the fresh dripping goo on his shoulder and emphatically stated, "See?"

How could I argue with that?

He wasn't the only girlfriend's parent that befriended me over the years. They all did a decent job of staying out of my relationship with their respective daughters. Those men, and a few women, attempted to share their wisdom, and some BS. For all that, I'm grateful.