My dad has a favorite question to ask my sister and me. When we were growing up, he got to use it a lot. Running boring errands on a Saturday afternoon, eating peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches during a family vacation, walking the dog together in the evening — these were all occasions for his favorite question. He’d ask, “Do you know what the best part of today is?” We’d dutifully say, “What, Dad?” and wait for the answer we always knew was coming: “Being here with you.”
Now that my sister and I have both flown the nest and ended up in Chicago while our parents continue to live in Minneapolis, Dad doesn’t get to see us or ask us his favorite question as often as we’d all like. This Father’s Day, though, he and Mom drove to Chicago on Friday to visit us, so he’s here and we’re making him brunch and I’m hoping I can ask him a certain question before he has the chance to ask me the same thing, so…
Hey Dad, do you know what the best part of today is?
— Karen Bowmann, Chicago
