17. Superman at the Ballet

Superman sat next to me.
Behind us lurked evil forces.

He held his phone tightly with both hands.
We waited for the show to start.

His phone case read, “Best father in the world.”
It had a picture of him and a kid.

Superman’s leg bounced impatiently.
Then the ballet started.
Our daughters went on stage.

Superman had a miserable face.
He had a tough time staying awake.

I saw him fighting Boredom.
I wanted to join him.
But do I really need to fight Boredom?
Isn’t there another option?

My daughter caught my eye.
She found me in the audience.
She looked for my reaction.
I smiled approvingly.

No. I was not faking it.
I was tired, but I was glad to be there.

Don’t get me wrong.
I wanted to join Superman in his fight with Boredom.
But there was another way.

I thought about how my daughter practiced for weeks.
I’d seen those moves many, many times.
But this was a sort of graduation.

And I chose to be present.
And so did Superman.

We both wrestled with love and duty that day.
In the end, we both stayed awake.
And even enjoyed some of it.

Duty. What is duty?

Perhaps it’s defeating Boredom and Tiredness.
Perhaps it is being present.
For the people who matter.

Perhaps it’s all about turning into Superman.
And wearing a badge of honor.
Something like a cellphone cover.

“Best father in the world.”
Damn, he is.