“Trust me,” Randy declared, “I wish that the quality of a school’s athletic program had nothing to do with your decision regarding where you should go to college.”
“I understand,” Grant nodded. “Sort of how I wish you had nothing to do with my decision regarding where I should go to college.”
“I just don’t get you, Grant,” Randy bellowed, smashing his empty can in his hand. “An opportunity of a lifetime is at your fingertips, and you won’t reach out and grab it.”
“It was the opportunity of your lifetime, Dad…not mine,” Grant rolled his eyes.
“Why do you do that?” Randy pointed, his voice stern. “Why do you roll your eyes and dismiss the subject of your future? You are eighteen-years-old. You will make decisions now that will impact the rest of your life. David nor Ike ever considered anywhere but West Point; I just don’t know where I went wrong with you.”
“David hated every second of his college experience,” Grant reminded his father. “He endured it for you. He earned the ring for you. He got the degree for you. He stood there all smiles at his commissioning for you. I won’t do that…I won’t spend four years of my life setting aside my own dreams to chase after your dreams for me. David feared disappointing you….he feared being a failure in your eyes, and I mean this with all due respect, Dad, but…”
“Stop right there,” Randy pointed.
“Don’t get me wrong, I hope to make you proud,” Grant shrugged, “but I’m gonna do it my way…on my own terms.”
“Just change the subject,” Randy insisted. “Today is bad enough on my blood pressure without getting into this with you.”
Grant rolled his eyes. “You are aware that your main man Eisenhower long had aspirations of being a professional baseball player, right?” he began. “He said, and I quote, ‘When I was a small boy in Kansas, a friend of mine and I went fishing, and, as we sat there in the warmth of the summer afternoon on a river bank, we talked about what we wanted to do when we grew up. I told him that I wanted to be a real major league baseball player, a genuine professional like Honus Wagner. My friend said that he’d like to be President of the United States. Neither of us got our wish.’”
“Why are you telling me this?” Randy shrugged.
“Just sayin’,” Grant scoffed.
“Thankfully, he grew up. Now it’s your turn to do the same,” Randy nodded.
“Actually, he was cut from the baseball team at West Point,” Grant added. “In fact, he called not being able to play baseball at West Point one of the greatest disappointments of his whole life.”
“But he didn’t leave West Point in order to chase his pipe dream somewhere else because he realized what was truly important,” Randy argued.
“My point is that even a man as hooah as Eisenhower loved a good game,” Grant shrugged.
“Son, I like sports just as much as the next red-blooded, American male,” Randy protested. “The Red Sox, the Celtics, the Patriots…I love watching them all. I like basketball; I’d enjoy watching you play basketball, except that I fear you see it as a potential career path.”
“And what would be so wrong with that?” Grant shrugged. “You are a defender of the American dream. You are a patriot for freedom. You have spent your life fighting for our inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. So how is it that you believe so wholeheartedly in each individual’s right to freedom that you have been willing to put your life on the line for it, yet, when it comes to me, you want to strip away the basic rights that come with being an American?”
Joanna rolled her eyes, unable to stifle a chuckle in response to her brother’s overly dramatic monologue.
“Grant, play basketball, Son…nobody wants to take that from you…just do it at West Point,” Randy insisted.
“As much as I would love to articulate an intelligent response to that,” Grant shrugged, “you’re gonna have to settle for…I don’t wanna.”
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are inextricably linked to authority, responsibility and accountability,” Randy pointed out.
“Well, that is a whole philosophical debate in itself,” Grant shook his head, “I could easily argue that your entire notion is based on the misconception that government…”
“Grant, I don’t want to get into this with you,” Randy insisted.
“How do you ever expect to have a real conversation with me if you never let me finish?” Grant shrugged.
Randy crossed his arms, irritated.
“Shall I go on?” Grant smirked.
“Do you know that Ike would have given his right arm to have what you have?” Randy fired back.
“Then if only I had what Ike had,” Grant nodded, “…namely your respect.”
“Respect is earned. He earned it. Have you?” Randy asked harshly.
“Dad?” Joanna sighed.
“No, that’s fair I presume,” Grant laughed. “I just would have thought that a man in your position would cut me a little slack. I mean I might have rightfully earned the title of family rebel or renegade son, neither of which sound all that bad when compared to adulterer.”
“Okay,” Joanna gulped. “I think I’m going to mosey on in now and let you boys finish out this conversation in private. I’ll go help in the kitchen. Is Hailey here? Why have I not been introduced to Hailey yet? She is all I hear about when I call you these days!”
“She’s in the kitchen making nice with Granny,” Grant smiled. “Why don’t you go introduce yourself and see if she needs rescuing yet?”
“Will do,” Joanna promised as she pecked Grant on the cheek. She looked toward her father and then back at her brother. “You guys keep it civil out here,” she begged. “Remember, today is Thanksgiving after all.”
As Joanna disappeared inside, Randy nodded at Grant. “How about we make a deal and save this conversation for another day? There’s enough to worry about today as is.”
“I have a plan, Dad,” Grant smiled.
“I’m sure you do, Son,” Randy nodded.
There was a long silence between the two of them.
“You just have to trust me,” Grant said finally.
