My Dad and Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is giving my Dad a thrill in his final years.

My Dad had a stroke a few years back, and has a hard time following T.V. storylines. He reads, and seems to enjoy it, but he's a guy who read more than anyone I've ever known (I read a lot but he read more), so I'm not completely certain he isn't scanning the pages out of habit.

He lives in assisted care, and really seems to prefer his own routine to being taken out and about. He goes the the two Doctor's coffee klatches at Jakes every week; the other thing that is making his life worthwhile.

He's really deaf, and seems not to want to wear his hearing aids.

But he can watch golf.

I don't remember Dad ever playing golf. He used to watch it occasionally, along with every minute of the Olympics, and football, and Wide World of Sports. (I predict when I see him tomorrow, he will mention Jim McKay's passing.) But I don't remember him being a golf fanatic.

Now I think he sticks to the golf channel almost all day.

And he is enamored of Tiger Woods. Geez, after watching the U.S. Open today, I'm enamored of Tiger Woods, too. It's like watching Babe Ruth and Micheal Jordan, seemingly transcendent; skill and luck, as though he bends reality to his liking.

Every time I'm ready to completely give up on sports as a bunch of spoiled brats, who are lionized way too much, there is a sporting event that seems to lift my spirit.

It's pretty cool to watch.

I'm sure my Dad was thrilled.

Now I have to try to figure out how we are going to get him to my house tomorrow for Father's Day, when I know he'll be glued to the T.V. He has his set-up which works for him, and our set-up at home isn't quite to his liking. I'm figuring now, that I'll just have to go over and watch the last hour or so, and then bring him back for the rest of the family.

My Dad will have a full year, what with the China Olympics coming on....