I grew up in California, never more than a couple hours’ drive from my favorite football team, the Raiders. I was obsessed with the Raiders. I had cards, I had gear, I had posters. I knew all about them, their history. I played Pop Warner and street football, and I always pretended I was a Raider. None of this was a secret in my house. Once, when my mother asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said a professional football player for the Raiders. She cruelly laughed in my face.
My dad, never once thought to take me to a game. We were solidly middle class, so affording tickets to that miserable team in a miserable stadium would have been no real sacrifice.
It wasn’t until I was in my mid-thirties and my then-fiancé surprised me with a birthday present — mind you we live on the East Coast — and we flew to Oakland and stayed a few nights in a lovely hotel and watched my favorite team since boyhood from four rows back from field, center, right next to the tunnel from which players emerge.
I couldn’t help but cry, many times that day. It was the most amazing feeling, and I owe it to my now wife.
I learned a lot of things from my parents, but most of it was how not to parent.
Man I still have regrets about never bringing my mom to see her favorite hockey team in person. She never missed a game, she was a huge fan.
Somehow my dad was always just about to take her but something would come up and they would reschedule. He’s a good dude he didnt mean for it to end that way, he thought he had plenty of time. Then suddenly she had dementia and yeah.. I should’ve brought her even in a wheelchair, she watched then almost until the end. IM NOT CRYING, YOURE CRYING OK.
I'm so sorry, neighbor. You deserve parents who who were kind and cared about what mattered to you. I'm glad you found at least your wife to treat you right. :)
I get how it feels when the people in your life don't show up for you (at best). Seems like you've done just fine for yourself, so good on you. Love from Louisiana 💕
Oh, jeez. My parents derided my interests too. I wanted to draw comic books but they insisted that I was a "s*ssy" for not wanted to go outside in the Texas heat and get yelled at by my racist dad while he worked on the car.
Man, as someone who also had POS parents, this really got to me. The way my heart burst when I read the wonderful gift your wife gave you—ugh. I’m crying. You’re just a stranger on the Internet, but reading about that wonderful experience she gave you makes me SO happy for you.
Sorry to hear that, sounds similar to my dad who would always take us golfing to sit on the benches while he played. never once asked us if we wanted to try because of course he would have to pay more. Now he’s got the audacity to blame US for never wanting to do any sports with him🙄 he’s a better man now and way better grandfather but it still pisses me off that he literally did the bare minimum with his own children. Atleast he takes his grandchildren to golf so I guess that’s something.
I know exactly how you feel. My mother was the exact same. I grew up thinking we were dirt poor because she said we couldn't afford ANYTHING for me ever. No toys, games, outings, take aways, movies, or anything that other kids enjoyed. It never occurred to me where her crammed cupboards of designer clothes, shoes, handbags, or all the gold jewellery dripping off her came from. When I grew up I realised that we lived in one of the most affluent areas therr was, and my father let it slip one day that her spending was out of control back then. What a fckng joke.
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u/Yakuza_Matata Feb 28 '25
He will remember this for the rest of his life.
What a great thing to be able to give.