The Story Behind My Father's Hesitancy

As I write this I am in a slight state of shock. I shall explain. Yesterday my mother had a colonoscopy. I just called her to ask her how it went. She said that everything was routine and nothing abnormal was found. As we continued talking, I asked her if my father had yet taken that volunteer job offered to him coaching kids in basketball, a job that I had previously mentioned in this blog. She said he was a little reluctant to do it. I think my father would be good at coaching kids, and would also love doing it, so I kind of hollered an emphatic “Why?!” at my mother. Well, I got my answer.

About 25 years ago my father was in some public place when he saw a man violently tug on a crying child’s arm in annoyance or frustration as the man and the little kid were walking along. My dad approached the man and informed him that he could severely injure the child’s arm with such a savage action. The man was apparently very agitated and he told my father to mind his own business and that he would treat his child anyway he chose to. The man then proved his point by glaring at my father and again jerking on the child’s arm.

According to my mother, Dad then “forcibly relieved the man of his parenting duties.” As a result, my father was held by police for several hours until witnesses were interviewed and evidence was collected. In the end, my father was not charged and it was determined that he had acted in the best interest of the child. However, according to my mother, Dad felt he could have handled it different. He also came to realized that he does not want to become in any way involved in how parents handle their children; hence, he is reluctant to coach kids.

I had never heard the story and although I am shocked by it, I have no doubt that such a thing happened. The account reeks of my father who under certain circumstances is not to be trifled with. Anyway, Dad has not said no to the coaching offer, but at least I have discovered why he did not agree to do it immediately.