of angels and angles

I recently had one of those “so crazy it just might work” ideas, and I was at a meeting very, very late last night talking about it. When I got home, the entire house was asleep, but my dogs (who must believe that I’m never going to come back every time I walk out the front door) ran laps around the living room when I walked though it on my way to my office.

“Hey, quiet,” I said, dropping to one knee and scratching their heads. “You’re going to wake up your mom and I’m going to get in trouble because of it!”

The two of them ran out toward the kitchen, and met me in my office with gifts: Riley brought me her knotted chew rope, and Ferris brought me her poorly-named indestructible chew ring.

“Yes, that’s quite a collection of toys you have,” I said.

They thumped their tails on the floor, and looked expectantly between their toys and me.

“Sorry girls,” I said, “it’s too late. We’ll have to play in the morning.”

Riley dove down with her little dog butt up in the air and whipped her rope around like crazy.

Oh, right. “blah blah girls blah blah PLAY blah.” I thought.

I may have engaged in a little tug of war with both of them, before I sat down to copy my notes into my computer and ponder if this idea is so crazy it might work, or is so crazy, it’s just crazy.

It took me a long time to unwind and quiet my brain, but I eventually made it into bed without waking up my lovely wife and ending up on the wrong end of The Wrath Of Anne. I slept peacefully and dreamlessly until Riley decided it was time I got up (about an hour before I would have chosen to get out of bed, but there are worse things to see first thing in the morning than the unconditional love of your dog who just wants you to hurry up and get out of bed so I can walk around the house with you!)

I dragged myself to the kitchen and kissed my wife on the top of her head. Both our dogs came in behind me.

“How’d your meeting go?” She said.

I told her about it.

“That sounds cool,” she said.

“It’s so crazy, it just might work,” I said. “Are you going to finish your coffee?”

I pointed to her half-filled mug, which had a picture of me on it.

“I’m finished,” she said. “Go ahead.”

“Thanks. Riley decided that I needed to get up earlier than I did, so I need coffee.”

“Well, that means I get to see you before I go to work!” She kneeled down and scruffed Riley’s little face. “Thanks, Riley!”

She picked up her keys and purse. “I love you. I’ll be home this afternoon.”

“Okay,” I said. “I found out when I got home last night that I have an audition at five, so I may not be here.”

“What for?”

I told her.

“I hear that’s a cool show,” she said.

“I have also heard that,” I said. I sipped my coffee. “I think I can nail it, too.” I told her why.

“Break your legs,” she said. “I have to go.”

We kissed each other goodbye and I watched through the window until I couldn’t see her any more.

While I made myself breakfast, the phone rang. Caller ID said it was my son Ryan.

We talked for a minute while I washed quinoa and sliced bananas. When I hung up the phone, I said to Twitter, “Nothing is as good as the unexpected, “Hey, I just wanted to say hi and I love you” phone calls from my son. I really miss him.”

While my breakfast cooked, I got an idea and dialed the phone.

A second later it connected.

“Hello?”

“Hey dad,” I said. “I just wanted to say hi, and I love you.”

Discover more from WIL WHEATON dot NET

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

51 thoughts on “of angels and angles”

  4. Totally understand why you didn’t mention what you are auditioning for . . . but that was a cruel set up – starting off with “one of those ‘so crazy it just might work’ ideas” and not paying it off.

  6. Don’t worry: If/when I get to the point where I can present this idea for crazy/not crazy feedback, I will totally do it.

  7. Great story, man. Especially about your son. My son is the same age I was (6) the last time I remember speaking to my father. So I make it a point to tell him I love him as often as I can.
    You’re a good dad, Wil. And a good son.
    James

  10. I bet your dad appreciated that call just as much as you did with Ryan’s call. Thanks for sharing your morning with us:)
    ~~TARA~~

  11. A dad-dad/son-son story. All you needed to do is work in a baseball game and you would have triggered the culturally-acceptable time for All Good Men to begin crying. You magnificent bastard, you.. [makes note to call dad after work]

  13. Oooh, I love it when you’re all mysterious and vague about upcoming projects.
    And the last bit about hearing from your son – that’s so sweet.
    Have a lovely rest-of-the-day.

  15. Best morning ever.
    I’m just going to sit here with all my crossable extremities crossed, hoping that your audition was for Chuck and that you did, indeed, nail it.

  23. What a touching post! Thanks for sharing your morning. Also, very excited about the projects you can’t tell us about, whatever they are!
    Cheers!

  24. Typical sucker punch/tagline of a post from you. The entry’s sweet, not overly sentimental. Then at the end, BAM!!! Straight to the heart hit.
    BTW, I’m hoping that the audition’s for “the Big Bang.”

  27. Well, that was really sweet of him. My mom tries to do that with my sister who lives in Cali, but she doesn’t appreciate it as much.
    I’ll be the dancer and say “Merde” instead of “Break a leg” with the audition (because I’m special like that).

  35. Aww, that was so heartwarming I think my internal organs are on fire. =D
    I love just talking with my mom every once in a while.

  38. um, *this* is why people read and follow you. TV notoriety (lingering or any other type) has nothing to do with it. or… very little, since maybe we wouldn’t know that you’re so entertaining and that therefore we *should* follow you otherwise. hope your audition is going, will go, or has gone well, and looking forward to hearing more about the crazy idea.
    xo
    Jules

  39. Dude. That is such an awesome contrast to the day I’ve had. I really needed to read it. Thank you. Your marriage gives me hope that there are good ones out there.

  41. Wow, you got me with that one, several somethings in my eye. Lost my dad 27 years ago, fortunately I can tell both of my Sons that I Love them everyday, and do. Hope you nailed it, Wil.

  42. Oh, got something in my eyes… *rubs and clears throat*
    I totally love your family stories. Thanks for making my day – again.
    Have a great weekend, you all.
    Regards from Germany!

  46. I call my dad a couple times a week just to tell him that I love him and that he’s the most wonderful man in the world.
    I also love hearing play-by-plays of your day, and I’m anxious to know what kickass show you auditioned for lolz.
    I honestly thought at my sister’s dog, Kokomo, was the only dog that wanted to grab some toy, ANY toy and show it to you when you walked in the door. And my aunt’s dog is afraid every time my aunt leaves the house that she isn’t coming back. She cries all day, the most pitiful doggy crying. I can’t even feel bad for her because my aunt has never left her alone for more than a day before so she should KNOW better!

  49. Okay so why was the first post I read today one that leaves me crying? Life is short and family is precious. I lost my Mom a month ago (might be why this post hit me so hard). Okay, now everyone go home and hug your folks!

  50. Terry Pratchett has written, in more than one of his _Discworld_ stories, that everyone knows” that anything that is a 100-to-1 shot (aka, “so crazy it just might work!”) works nine out of ten times. Words to live by, says I. 🙂

Comments are closed.

Related Posts

Recent Posts