The Adventures of Captain Imperfecto

You are here: Home » A Humbled Man Christopher blowing out his makeshift birthday candle for his birthday.  September 16, 2015  I sat in the old church located in the Town of Palm Beach. It was recently refurbished. Its location was ideal if you believed that life began and ended with the ocean, as the church’s view was a panoramic scene of the intercostal waterway. Just out of its double French doors, there is a path you can travel down that leads you past a beautiful fountain. The old brick pavers forked in two directions, one to an old refurbished building and the other to a long path towards a large oak tree leading to the water. That was the best path. It was a nice place to meditate and listen to the seawater as it smacked against the rocks, stirred up by the wake of a passing boat. The sound was so soothing it was almost heaven-sent. Gazing out from where I stood on the edge of the horizon while the sun was setting, new life was breathed into me because I...

You are here: Home » But, I'm only five, Daddy. Christopher (front) and Nico are on their way to receive an award. September 2, 2015 "Nope, I don't want to go." What do you mean you don't want to go? I'm the parent. You must go if I say so. "Don't want to go, daddy." There is no debating this, son. Get dressed, you're going. "Nope." Yes. "Nope." There is little chance of your not going, son. The odds are stacked against you. If I were a betting man in Vegas, I'd avoid betting on you as if the starting team lost its star player. The fact is, you're five years old. Son, it isn't your fault that you cannot see that you have already lost the battle and are about to lose the war. So, put on your shoes and let's go. We're pressed for time, so let's pretend all this didn't happen. "Daddy, I understand your position. It's a chess match between you and me. We are b...

You are here: Home » Hook, Line and Sinker Christopher (left) and Nico getting ready for the first day of school. Nico in 1st grade, Christopher in Kindergarten August 17, 2015 I was sitting in the doctor's office waiting room for my son to be called into the backroom for therapy. He's okay; it's only a speech delay. He sees a therapist weekly to help him with his word enunciation. When parents embrace situations like this, they allow their kids to defeat any development that could hinder their potential. After it's all said and done, I wouldn't be surprised if he became the next Bob Costas or Al Michaels. (Amazing broadcasters) I tell myself, "Self, it's okay; all kids develop differently." That thinking is for my assurance, not your reassurance. For any parent, being told about anything that could affect your kid's life and/or health, no matter how small, has a rippling effect on one's ability to cope with it head-on, no matter how ...

You are here: Home » Searching for Willy Wonka Nico and Christopher (right) enjoying ice cream in the Magic Kingdom in Fantasyland August 6, 2015 The shrieks and shrills from Nico and Christopher could be heard all the way to aisle 19. We had just turned on aisle two, the cereal aisle  only  17 aisles away. Who would have thought such joy could be found at a grocery store? "Dad, Captain Crunch? Fruit Loops, Coco Pebbles, oh my, wow!" My boys shouted as they piled the boxes in the grocery cart as if they found gold up in the hills of some California cave. "No. Put it all back." Ever since they first went for "a ride" to the grocery store, the boys have seen all the treats and snacks stacked along the shelving. They wanted to indulge in anything that looked good to eat. My kids must think that each trip to the grocery store was a visit to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Of course, they didn't pay any attention to the price tag on the lit...

You are here: Home » Baseball and Ice Cream Nico and Christopher getting ready for baseball. July 22, 2015 Sending my sons to practice their first-ever attempt at baseball was easy at first. They first discovered baseball when they saw other kids playing on a baseball field nearby. "Hey, Dad, we want to do that!" Are you sure, guys, you want to play baseball? When we sign up for it and buy equipment, it will cost about $240.00. "What is money, dad? Money is what I just paid to purchase that ice cream. That money will now go to sliding pants and a groin cup, and less money will go to ice cream. "Is there ice cream in this groin cup?" Nope "Can I have a groin cone instead of a groin cup?" A groin cup protects your "privates," guys. If I stick a cone down your pants, there will be a lot of explaining as to what the hell is going on. We will stick with the groin cup, less the ice cream. "Hey, dad,"  the coach said,  "w...