By A.J. Llewellyn
My goddaughter and niece Eleanna had her first big date a few nights ago - for her first school dance. She is thirteen and the most important thing in the world to me.
When her dad, Tracy, called me and asked me to be at the house when her date and his dad came to pick her up, I was honored and pleased. Eleanna's other dad Chris, is like me, a bit of a hot head. Chris and I are first cousins. Our emotions are so Greek.
The next day, Tracy casually uninvited me to meet-the-geek.
I pretended to be okay with it, since Chris was also uninvited. Tracy was smart. He organized an evening golf game for his husband, who called me.
We're a bit like the gay Lucy and Ethel. Chris and I come up with bad ideas that are bound to get us into trouble, but we press forward anyway.
I told my boyfriend Herve I planned to show up unannounced and he said, "That's it. We're never having daughters!"
Chris came and picked me up and we arrived seconds before the geek came to take our girl away.
"Isn't her dress a bit low cut?" I asked Tracy.
"What do you want her to wear? A sweater?"
"Yes!" I said. "It's kinda cold out." I looked at my beautiful girl. She really did look stunning.
She beamed at me and I kissed her newly blow-dried head.
"Don't forget. You can call me if you have any problems. I'll be right there."
"There will not be any problems. Don't you have some books to write?" Tracy pointed to the front door.
Things got slightly worse when the kid arrived.
Chris and I did not like what we saw. We were polite enough until his gaze lingered a little too long on Eleanna.
"Just so you know, if anything happens to my daughter," Chris said, "A.J. and I will waterboard you. Right, A.J?"
"Yes," I said. "We know all the techniques."
Tracy looked horrified. Eleanna looked like she was going to cry. Tracy covered up the awkward silence with a mad laugh.
"Excuse Chris and A.J, they think they're so funny."
The geek looked at Eleanna. "I bought you a wrist corsage. I left it at home."
"Really?" she looked so deflated. "What kind was it?"
"It has three white roses."
"Roses! I love roses."
Tracy stepped in. "We'll ask your father if you can stop by and pick it up, shall we?"
Tracy went outside with them and Chris, Louie the dog and I watched the geek shepherd our girl to the car.
His dad sat behind the wheel and gave us a wave. He seemed to be nodding as Tracy spoke but he never got out of the car.
The geek didn't hold the door open for Eleanna. Neither did his dad.
Chris ran out and did the honors.
I saw Tracy's face as they walked back to us. "What kind of an upbringing is that?" he huffed. "They didn't even open her door!"
As it happened, Eleanna had a wonderful night but apparently the food at her school dance left a lot to be desired. She said the best part of the evening was the DJ and driving through In N Out on the way home for a burger and fries.
She called me at midnight to let me know my waterboarding would not be needed. She was home safe.
"Did you have fun?" I asked her from the middle of my deep sleep.
"One of my roses fell off my wrist corsage," she said. I could tell she was disappointed.
"Do you like him?"
"Yes, I like him. He liked you too."
"Me?" I asked, wide awake at this point.
"Yes. He said you're not as bad as I told him you were."
Hmph. I must be losing my touch.
I asked her if she was going to see him again and she sighed.
"Of course I am. I go to school with him!"
I am not sure where this young love is headed but I now know how every parent feels when their daughters grow up and start spreading their romantic wings. I will treasure every moment Eleanna still wants to spend with me. I won't stress about the future.
She says I will always be her favorite date.
And she will always and forever be my number one girl.
Aloha oe,
A.J.
Okay, so the title says it all...Online Games - Friend or Foe.
