Tennessee Vet

His own two had taught him that most adults had no respect for children. They might love them but refused to admit that sometimes children had a right to be irate when parents did things like get divorces. He often did not agree with Anne and Elaine, but he had always respected their opinions, even when he thought they were boneheaded.

Sometimes, however, it was difficult to respect Elaine’s ideas. He had tried to teach both girls that they could set forth any opinion, but they must be willing to back it up. Anne could always give him a backup for her opinions, even if Stephen thought they were ludicrous. Elaine, on the other hand, was of the because-I-said-so school.

When Anne picked up her cell phone, he could hear the noise of the bar she tended in the background. “Are you too busy to talk?” he asked.

“Daddy? I have time. It’s quiet right now.”

“If what I am hearing is quiet, I dread to think what a crowd sounds like.”

“Give me a second to get back to the office.” A moment later the ambient crowd noise went away. “There, the door’s shut. Are you sick of the country and itching to come home yet? Or, considering the bugs, just itching?”

“I’m barely settled in. I thought you’d be enjoying having the house to yourself. You are alone, aren’t you?”

“You think I’m having wild parties?”

“I hope not. My homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover raves.”

“Well, I am not having any raves...or any dates, more’s the pity. You need to return your calls to all your lady friends. They keep leaving messages inviting you to everything from dinner to the theater.”

“Please do not tell them where I am or give them my new cell-phone number.”

“I can’t believe you changed your number when you got your new phone. Who does that? Members of a drug cartel?”

“I intend to keep the number when I go back into the classroom. In the meantime, a new number cuts down on nuisance calls. It’s the number the department will give out to students who are about to miss deadlines to turn in their essays and beg for more time.”

“Which you won’t give them.”

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