Daughter
&
d
a
D
Dcuns
A
stories.
by Patrick and J.L. Hempfing
s a writer and father, I some-
times wish I could change
the ending to my real-life
The
“Ferretastic”
“The tired dad found plenty of en-
ergy to keep up with his daughter.”
“The worried dad relaxed as he
knew his daughter would make good de-
cisions.”
Conversely, sometimes the real-life
story ends just right. No fiction writer
could compose a more inspired ending,
even if they toiled for hours trying. I’ve
been blessed with many of these happy
stories during the past twelve years as a
stay-at-home dad to an awesome daugh-
ter and an outstanding wife.
The stories come and go, some re-
peat, and others flash by only once. It’s
up to me to make the most of them, hold
on through the challenging ones, and try
to learn from and appreciate them. Some-
times, I can find teachable moments as
the stories unfold. I can even write enter-
taining stories about a few of them.
One of the great joys of watching a
daughter mature is that she can start to
write her own stories, both figuratively
and literally. That’s been the case as my
daughter, Jessie, plows through her tween
years. Here’s one we wanted to share.
Jessie, Age 12
Yesterday was the 4th of July 2017!
I sure had an exciting one! First, I went
to a family party. I ate food, played with
50 WNY Family July 2019
When we arrived home, even
though I had only watched the slime and
didn’t exert energy in making it, as the
author and protagonist father in our sto-
ry, I was tired. Here’s where I could have
inserted the happy ending, “The fatigued
father grabbed a good book and pushed
back his recliner. A broad smile came to
his face as he reflected on the wonderful
day with his family.”
However, the real-life story con-
tinued with Dad and daughter walking
around the apartment complex and the
adjacent park taking in fireworks dis-
plays from around the city. Exhausted?
Yes. But with each booming firecracker,
my energy level increased.
Then we reached the amphitheater
lawn and met Oliver. Who would have
thought Jessie’s “highlight of my day”
would be a ferret on a leash that used her
shirt as a bathroom?
“The quick-to-comment dad listened
intently while his daughter shared her
thoughts and feelings over a well-bal-
anced dinner at the kitchen table.”
“The formerly impatient dad trans-
formed into an unflappable father … and
his family lived happily ever after in per-
fect harmony.”
story. Yet, I’d like to focus on the events
after the family party that made the story
even better.
family, made slime with my cousin, and
went swimming. That was an amazing
time and helped to contribute to the 4th
of July fun!
Next, Daddy and I went for a walk
to see fireworks. We live in an apartment
in a pretty populated and popular part
of town. We had fireworks blasting in the
night sky from every direction!
Finally, we went up the hill to the
amphitheater lawn. You will never guess
what we saw. Really, try! This was the
highlight of my day!
I saw, petted, and held a ferret on a
leash! His name was Oliver, and he was
3 years old. It was really friendly and
soft. It was also super clean! It was re-
ally fun to play with… even if it did pee
on my shirt. Now, here’s Dad.
A happy story, one I wouldn’t change
— except maybe the part where I had to
pretreat the laundry for ferret urine.
As Jessie explained, we had an ex-
citing July 4th with some favorite sum-
mer activities: eating, swimming, play-
ing, and spending quality time with fam-
ily. All that made for a good real-life dad
Had I surrendered to my craving for
a good book and comfortable chair, the
story’s real-life ending wouldn’t have
been nearly as enjoyable or memora-
ble. I’m so glad I summoned the energy
to take in the spectacular fireworks and
unexpected ferret visit. That July 4th we
didn’t just have a good Independence
Day, we shared a ferretastic moment
we’ll always remember.
But whether Jessie is petting a fer-
ret on a leash or Dad is throwing a shirt
into the washing machine, one thing is
certain ’tween daughter and dad, I love
my girl and my girl loves me.
Until next month, remember to
cherish the moments.
Patrick Hempfing had a 20-year profes-
sional career in banking, accounting, and
auditing before he became a father at age
44. He is now a full-time husband, stay-
at-home dad, and writer. Follow Patrick at
http://patrickhempfing.com. J. L. Hempf-
ing, now 14, began writing with her dad in
kindergarten. Her current hobbies include
reading, writing, playing clarinet and alto
saxophone, and dancing. If you enjoyed
this column, you’ll like Patrick’s first book,
MoMENts: A Dad Holds On. The book
compiles favorite stories and new material
and is available for sale on Amazon.