Yesterday at work a little boy and his mother and baby sister came in. His mom was one of those customers who doesn't want to acknowledge you exist and so she didn't. The boy was wearing a sweatshirt with a ribcage on it and I told him I liked it. I have a thing for ribcages, idk. You see a lot of clothing and jewelry with ribcage motifs this time of year, which makes me happy.
"We're going to a party," he told me as I rung up the candy and the candy bowl and the skeleton gloves.
"Oh that sounds like fun!" I said. "Are you going trick or treating tomorrow too?"
"Yes!" He was breathless with excitement.
"A Steve," he said. I didn't know what that was but I acted like it was the coolest thing ever. Then I started ringing up Captain America coloring books and wondered if he meant Steve Rogers.
"Are you going to go trick or treating?" he asked, pulling me out of trying to figure out what he meant.
"Oh, no, I wish! I'm going to be handing out the candy."
And then he looked at me, his eyes wide with concern and pity.
"Maybe you ask your mom to hand out the candy," he said, worried. Worried for me! Because I would miss trick or treating!
"That's a good idea," I agreed. "I'll have to ask her."
Before he left, he made sure to catch my eye and remind me to ask my mom. His mother continued to say nothing. I watched him leave. I felt my heart kick in my chest.
My old teacher from state-funded summer arts camp posted a picture of his daughter, who was six months old when I knew him and is now nearly nine, dressed up for Halloween today. He posts pictures of his kids a lot, and I feel like I know them, almost--he made sure to get them both to love Star Wars, she writes fanfiction even if she doesn't know she's doing it yet and he's very proud of it, the son has terrible sleeping habits but sometimes my old teacher will stay up late with him and watch movies or work together side by side. It's very charming.
Anyway, he posted a picture of his oldest, the daughter, for Halloween, and captioned it: "[x] decided months ago that she wanted to be Amelia Earhart for Halloween. The result is uncanny, even spooky." Then he showed them side by side. He wasn't lying: they have the same gap in their teeth, the same lines under their eyes. But I mostly love that he has raised a daughter who loves comic books and wants to be Amelia Earhart. What is it about men who are good fathers? It's capnip, I swear.
