What Dads Say

[Mike Wooldridge]

"We're making good time"

Whenever a dad (or any man, for that matter) climbs behind the wheel, he becomes hopelessly engaged in a game of Beat the Clock. Whether it's cross - country journey or a hop across town, Dad's immediate and all-consuming goal is to make "good time".

"Good time" is a subjective term that usually means "faster than last time."

A dad will go to any lengths to make good time. That includes restricting family rest stop breaks to two minutes, exceeding speed limits by upward of twenty miles per hour,and purchasing exorbitantly expensive radar detectors to avoid getting stopped by the highway patrol. (It's not the speeding ticket Dad fears, it's the accompanying ten-minute delay.)
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"Don't make me stop this car!"

In the odyssey that is the family vacation, this dadism should be considered a last-resort ultimatum. It's the red flag that should alert the family that Dad is nearing his breaking point. Should he actually have to stop the car there will be TROUBLE on the Interstate!

Note:

Rarely will dad actually pull over and stop the car because that would jeopardize his "good time," delay arrival at his destination, and forfeit his bragging rights until next year's vacation. (Yessir, this year we made it in seven hours flat. Last year, it was 7:48. Must be that new radar detector.")

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"This is just a speed bump on the journey of life."

Dads love using metaphors to wax poetic about life's struggles and challenges. This one reflects Dad's ongoing obsession with making "good time."

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"Now you listen to me, Buster (or Missy!)"

When a dad calls a son "Buster" or a daughter "Missy" the child should immediately recongnize that he or she is in deep doo-doo and act accordingly. The same applies when Dad addresses the child by his or her full name.

[Gina Stevenson]

Some female drivers can get somewhat like this when on the road, too [tho' I did not cut short those necessary pit stops ;)]. My back has since made me a more reasonable traveler, tho', after many years of that "gotta make time!" (more likely, save motel bills! :basic05) sort of traveling.

However, I would take a few minutes' time to stop where there might be a "good shot" available (camera shot, that is ;)).

[Anne and Dwayne Hood]

Dwayne and a I have been opposites along that line. But, now that he is retired, we like to have time for leisure trips, but he does not want to travel as much as I do.

[Carsten Schermuly]

Ruth does always take a "time reserve" in her plans, in case some unawaited things do appear, like our beloved family game, "search mamas car keys".

I do not, I just take the time I do need.

That difference does create sometimes misunderstandings.
A few days ago she shouted from kitchen, "You must go off now! You do have just fifteen minutes for the way." - 45 minutes, 30 minutes earlier as my time plan of 15 minutes. I did not check the watch, trusting blindly in her always precise calendar / time plans for our whole family as long we are married.

bottom line
I was too early in office of the attorney - 35 minutes (after me should that be just 5 minutes). I had to wait in presence of the both secretairies and tried all the time to make an intellingent face, feeling me as a fool, like a little boy, can not read the clock.