The Adventures of Captain Imperfecto

You are here: Home »Bye-Bye, 2014 Left to right: Captain Imperfecto, Nico and Christopher lazy day. December 27, 2014 Will my kids remember anything of 2014? They're just 5 and 6. So much has happened this year, but the only thing that was important to them was their 100-yard safety zone, which expanded the circumference of the house. "Dad, where's the boat?" Daddy, what happened to the boat?" "Daddy, is the boat broken?" That may be my quote of the year. It's good to know that in my boy's short life span, the only concern for them is the horror of the boat being gone. Just to remind you. This year, I invested in a 30-foot boat. It's a money pit for some but a lifestyle for us. But there were other terms used by my boys this year. "Daddy, shut up." "No, daddy." "Leave me alone, daddy!" This has been the year of sitting down and trying to talk or even compromise with my boys instead of applying corp...

You are here: Home »Let Christmas Left to right: Sugar, Christopher, Champ and Nico December 23, 2014 I’m attempting to extend the Christmas holiday. I’m strictly playing Christmas music in my car. I’m looking at Christmas lights, on the neighborhood houses, longer then I use to, and dare I say, I’m sitting through Christmas commercials in their entirety.   I have never been into Christmas in such a way since my youth. As I got older and more into my police career I had to work holidays and weekends. The days I worked Christmas numbed me from all the nostalgia I once had as a child.  For a kid growing up in the tradition of Christmas I simply didn’t want Christmas day to end. What kid ever does? The food, the joy of writing a Christmas list from Service Merchandise catalog, the lights and Christmas trees made the time more memorable. The time felt magical more so than religious. Being a product of divorced parents Christmas was about the only t...

You are here: Home »Deaths Indigestion Left to right: Christopher and Nico December 5, 2014 I woke up at 4 A.M. early Friday morning. It was the day after Thanksgiving, and my stomach still had the overwhelming feeling of being full from a whole day's worth of overeating. Due to that overeating, I thought my sudden awakening might have been brought on by indigestion. After all, I did consume two meals from two different households, about six hours apart. That led me to wonder which house chef was at fault for my bad night's sleep. After mulling around in my mind for around a half hour about the different foods prepared by the other cooks in their respective homes, the faces of my family replaced the pictures of food floating around in my mind.  My sister's face revolved around my memories of turkey and pies. Even though she didn't peer much into the dining room while she prepared a thankful dinner, I still remembered seeing her glance up from her heavy cooking. A...

You are here: Home » Silver Lining Forward Nico and Christopher in daddy's writing chair November 13, 2014 I glance into the heavily clouded sky and through the darkness and lighted ferocity of rumbling thunder and bolts of lighting I saw a sliver of light peering through the center of the clouds just above the western horizon. I immediately thought that that sliver of light was an omen, a silver lining, that was laid out before me as if it was a sign informing me that things that happen in life won’t control me. That at the end of the day, no matter what happened earlier in the day, there will be life tomorrow and things will be okay. But, as soon as the good thoughts enter my brain through the left hemisphere my right side hemisphere floods my brains, emotions and feelings, with negative thoughts. “I live in Florida so the sun breaking through a cloudy day isn’t unusual. And the message I was hoping for from this sighting wasn’t unusual either. And neither w...

You are here: Home »Your Disney Hosts Nico and Christopher Disney Resort Art and Animation November 5, 2014 "Let's do this," I told my boys once we arrived at Walt Disney World yet again. These trips are becoming a right of passage for my boys. And they are sure acting cocky about our frequent visits. They're likely not spoiled due to our Disney trips. Even though I went for my birthday in July, again in August, September, and now this October for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. After all, this family does hold annual passes, and the intent of the annual pass is to go frequently, isn't it? The boys are respectful, though, not selfish during these trips; they are polite and friendly and care for those around them, especially guests of Disney World. My boys act as unofficial hosts to the arriving visitors as if these people were visiting our very home. However, when Nico and Christopher walk around any Walt Disney Resort, they act as ...

You are here: Home »The Halloween Killer, a horror short story Left to right: Christopher and Nico at a pumpkin patch October 31, 2014 *A fictional story. A camp fire story,  best told around a fire with friends. It was Halloween night. The trick or treaters had gone. The bowl by the front door was empty. It was a good sign of a successful Halloween. But the night wasn't over yet. We didn't want it the day to end but we knew we would have to wait another 365 days until the next night of ghouls, would come. So to extend the weaning hours of Halloween night there was one final tale to tell.   It was Halloween night. Kids laughter left the night. Everyone was snug in there house. Seeking safety from the creeps and goblins that remained outside.... Joel knew his time was almost up. There was no way he was going to defeat the killer that he had just witness murder a person. Joel ran as fast as he could after seeing the horrific sight in the hopes h...

You are here: Home » The Beast Christopher sick at the pediatrician  October 20, 2014 The beast implants itself inside my youngest child. I noticed the onset of symptoms after picking him up from school. As a routine, my boys are wild, even after a long day in class. But today, Christopher was just lying on the couch, lethargic. Not even the Mickey Mouse Club on Disney Jr. could motivate him. His skin was warm, his body ached, and there was no smile on his face.  Like a fairy tale of fairies and mythical creatures, the mythical beast of sickness had found him.  I was hesitant to write about this because of the Ebola scare. Still, I can assure you, the reader, it wasn't Ebola. But this flu was a beast, unlike what I have ever seen since I became a parent in 2008.  As the evening progressed, my son wailed and moaned as if he were transforming into a legendary werewolf during a full moon transformation. His persistent howls made me cringe. As a worried ...

You are here: Home »Little Pirate Captain Imperfecto and Nico headed on a cruise  October 7, 2014 I took my six-year-old son, Nico, on a cruise, and his behavior wasn't bad despite all the excitement around him. His conduct was my main fear and trepidation when taking my young child on this cruise. I'll have to admit, as you can read so far in this first paragraph, I was expecting Armageddon when I unleashed my son on that Carnival cruise ship. And that havoc I thought would begin as soon as we got off that charter bus we took to travel the 70 miles from our house to the Port of Miami.  I had nightmares in the months since booking this trip. Nico somehow makes his way toward the control room by battling the crew as they try to thwart his mutiny in vain. Only to lose to his cunning, manipulative, six-year-old ways, and he would commandeer the ship! "Cap'n, a little pirate has taken to twelve decks and be forcin' his way into quarters!" ...