“Dad, Can I Help?”

By Bill Kirk

(Published in Grandparents Magazine, June 2005)

The long weekend beckoned--

I’d written my list.

And I was quite sure

There was nothing I’d missed.

No yard work distractions,

No carpools to do.

The weekend was mine

Until I was through.

I had all my hardware

And lumber galore.

I’d work on the deck;

Replace an old door.

I set up my saw

And tested my drill.

With anticipation

I felt quite a thrill.

“No holding me back,”

I thought, a bit smug.

Then all of a sudden,

I felt a slight tug.

Stopping my work,

I turned with a glance

To see my small son

Grab the leg of my pants.

What could I do?

Did I have any choice,

When my little son asked

In his little boy voice?

“Dad, can I help?

I just need some glue

And maybe a nail,

Some wood and a screw.”

“I’ll be very careful

And do what you say.

I promise, I’ll try

To stay out of your way.”

I felt the deck slipping

Right out of my grasp.

The door would remain

On its very last gasp.

We built a small boat

With a deck and a sail

Out of two bits of wood,

Some string and a nail;

Then battled some pirates

And found chests of gold.

With each new adventure

A story was told.

We sawed and we hammered

Until we were done

With all of our work—

Like father, like son.

I never did finish

My list on that day,

Instead I spent time

With my son, just to play.

My big weekend projects?

I guess they can wait.

For certain appointments,

A Dad can’t be late.