It doesn't take much to remind me that despite all my ills and issues, I am relatively sane compared to most.

I got a nice little reminder of this on Father's Day. It was 9:20 P.M.. I called my father who lives in Myrtle Beach, SC. We talked for about a half-hour then he spoke with my son. All was well.

Then his girlfriend of 18 years wanted to say hello. First she talked to my son, for about fifteen minutes. He kept saying, 3rd, over and over again. What the hell was she asking him??? Then it dawned on me that she was asking him his birthday. Why my father and her do NOT know his date of birth, is beyond me. And how many times does one need to ask the same question? Errr. I began to suspect that she was drunk.

So then, my son hands me the phone. It was my turn. Oh the interrogation began!

N: Why don't you have D in Boy Scouts. Camping is good for a boy?

Me: Ah... because it is a homophobic organization that discriminates against gays and atheists."

N: What?! I never heard that. So what?! A boy needs to go camping.

Me: I am not going to have him be a part of an organization that discriminates. This goes against what I am teaching him. Most of the Boy Scouts are Mormons. One has to say he believes in God in order to be member. And, a gay man can not be a scout or a leader of a troop.

N: Well I never heard that before.

Me: It was all over the news. The Supreme Court was even involved a few years ago.

N: Well, OK.

This conversation lasted about twenty minutes. Really it was a heated argument. I do think that she was drunk and probably does not even remember her hostile and judgmental words and tone.

I have edited this... my last statement was just too mean. I do care a lot about her, despite these annoyances.