As I have mentioned before, I have three adult children who have all married well. My eldest son, Spiderman is married to Petal, and they have a delightful daughter, Blossom. My second eldest son, Muti Man, is married to Gifted One. Muti Man and Gifted One are staying with Mother Superior and me while their house is being built. My youngest child is a daughter, Muppet, who is married to Biggles. This post is about Muppet.
After having two wonderful boys, we were rather hoping for a girl when Muppet arrived. Needless to say, I was overjoyed. It was not that I didn’t love my boys, but it felt complete to have a girl as well.
Mother Superior was delighted, because she could now dress her child in pretty pink outfits.
Muppet and I became big mates, and did everything together. It does appear true that sons tend to migrate towards their mothers, and daughters to their fathers. I suppose it is to do with preparing them for future relationships with the opposite sex. I often wonder how fathers manage with more than one daughter. Muppet was so much part of my life that I don’t know how I would do with any more girls.
As I have already mentioned, Muppet and I did many things together. While the boys appeared to be happy doing their own things, we went shopping, walking, riding and swimming together. During four years of Muppet’s childhood, Mother Superior worked every weekend. This made Muppet and me especially close. Weekends would have been very lonely without her.
There was one occasion when Muppet was thirsty, and drank from the wine cask in the fridge. She got so drunk that I took her up to the hospital. I carried her into the hospital with me covered in vomit, and Spider Man and Muti Man in tow. I can laugh about it now, but it was one of the lowest points of my life. I felt that I had failed my children. I remember that evening, after the children had gone to bed, the flood-gates opened, and I cried my heart out. I did manage to compose myself before Mother Superior got home from work. Fortunately, she did not appear too worried about it.
While Muppet was going through her teenage years, we often had long conversations on how she should relate to male admirers. I remember telling her that pubescent boys had one thing on their minds, and that she should not feel too flattered at their advances. She was a very pretty girl and should not be taken in. I think she accepted my advice.
I often wondered how I would cope with some other guy taking Muppet away from me, and was dreading the inevitable. However, when the time came, I instinctively knew it was the right thing to do. She is now married to Biggles, with my full blessing. They have been through a lot together, and appear to have survived it all. I admit that sometimes I do feel pangs of nostalgia when they are around, and I realise that I am no longer the main man in her life – but at the same time, I know that it is right. Biggles is a good man for her.
All I can do now is wait for the little muppets and biggles to come into our lives.
