Sunday, May 10, 2009

I Could Be Your Daddy


I am 43 years old now. In the past year, I've found myself looking at 18-year-old and 19-year-old boys more.

No, not like that.

I am now the same age my father was when I was a freshman in college. Holy crap! I could have a college-age kid by now!

Last year I met someone who could very well be like my son. He was the grandson of my aunt's friends and, yes, he was 18. Like me, he had a Japanese mother and a Caucasian father. Conversation with him was easy as we talked about our respective times in Japan and our mutual interest in creative writing.

And I felt protective toward this young man, even if it was more in a brotherly way than in a parental way. Perhaps it was just a temporary transference of feeling protective over my own inner youth? How much more parenting am I going to feel I need to do for myself?

For the rest of my life?

My paternal grandmother was 43 when I was a 1-year-old baby. I could be a grandfather by now. HOLY CRAP!

(the photo above is me at about 18 years old, summer of 1984)

8 comments:

KK said...

It's scary, isn't it? One of my close friends became a grandma at 38 and that was a reality check. Hell, I can hardly care for a plant and my cat. Can't imagine a kid.

I'd love to be a grandma. Too bad you have to have that step in between. LOL! Great post, Peter!

movindowntheroad said...

Happy Bday! I'm so sorry but you dont look your age at all. Seriously., You look 25

Cheryl said...

When I was in middle school, I had a friend whose grandma was the same age as my mom (48 at the time). I'm glad my parents took their time having kids--I don't have to deal with the "My mom had a child when she was my age" shock for another two years, at which time it won't be too shocking. I hope.

SleepingBeauty said...

Summer of 1984 huh? I was a year old then :)

the last noel said...

Yup. I'm working with a young man at the office. His father is one year older than I! Holy Moly!

golfwidow said...

I am 38 and I'm still not mature enough to parent anything more advanced than brine shrimp.

quin browne said...

i become a grandmother in january. at my age, one of my grandparents only had 5 years to live...

scary.

the Constantly Dramatic One said...

You were sooooo cute!