Man Out of Time

Tea: Oolong Pouchong

Music: Sweet, "Ballroom Blitz"

Time: Late evening.

I was four when my dad was the age I am now, so my recollections of how he dressed are based more on photographs than memory. I do recall that he often wore suits and ties (and a sweet mohair sweater of which I once had brief possession).

Later in life, he took to wearing shorts, T-shirts, white socks and baseball shoes (often with mesh-backed trucker hatsfrom the bank where he worked). I, being a teenager by then, was mortified.

My kids are teens already -- which means I get the fun of embarrassing them. Sometimes it's mismatched socks, sometimes ratty Chuck Taylor high-tops -- but it's hard to beat a good T-shirt for maximum embarassment value.

Two years ago, my daughter -- then a high school freshman -- and I went to a theatre event at her school. I wore a black shirt, bearing (in white) a tiny Grim Reaper and the words "I see dead people."

When the house lights went down, we discovered that Death and the letters glowed in the dark.

"Da-aaadd!"

Needless to say, I spent the evening clutching a playbill to my chest. Every time I even hinted at letting my light shine, she elbowed me in the ribs.

I still have that shirt -- but lately, it's been more fun to wear Christmas gear (shirts and socks) out of season. Today, it was a gray T-shirt bearing a big picture of Snoopy in full Santa gear.

The kids are getting jaded, though. Now, they just roll their eyes.

Maybe I should really shake them up. You know: suits, ties, maybe the odd mohair sweater ...