The blood of a thousand gypsies runs through my veins

[rolanni]

So, a couple weeks ago, it being the Season an' all, I sent my father and stepmother a Real!Maine!Wreath!, tracked it 'til it was delivered and forgot about it.

A week after delivery, my dad calls me up to thank me for the wreath, which had been left on the enclosed porch of their trailer, only...they're not living at the trailer anymore; they've moved Yet Again (fifth time in the last eight years). They're now living with my stepmother's daughter, a woman I know only by the name of 'Ruth' (who discovered the wreath when she stopped by the trailer to pick up the mail).

When my dad was going to tell me this, if he hadn't been prompted by the arrival of said wreath, God, She Knows. But anyway.

He gives me the new address. He gives me the new phone number. I dutifully write them down. Today, as I'm making up the holiday card list, I realize that I need to check the zip, go over to the USPS site, and? The address my dad gave me -- there's no such a one, or any variation thereof. So, OK, fine, he's been known to muddle street names from time to time. I call the number he gave me to ask where on earth he really lives, and? The phone hasn't been installed yet, though the number has been issued.

*drums fingertips on desk top*

All righty, then. I'm sending the card to the old address. That should at least eventually get me a phone call.

I'm flashing back, here, to all the parental wails of, "I called. Where WERE you?" "Aren't you EVER home?" and "You moved AGAIN?" that marked my twenties and early thirties...

Comments

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

YEEK.

I mean, I did have to once ask my parents "when were you going to tell me your area code was about to change?" but that's way worse.

Hey, we'd take that wreath next year ;-P

Actually I'm thinking of ordering one - it's the balsam that smells so pretty, right?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of Oscar Wilde: "To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness. "

Actually I'm thinking of ordering one - it's the balsam that smells so pretty, right?

Fresh balsam smells heavenly. kinzel and I usually hang a wreath inside, so we can have Full Benefit of the scent.

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

I'm flashing back, here, to all the parental wails of, "I called. Where WERE you?" "Aren't you EVER home?" and "You moved AGAIN?" that marked my twenties and early thirties...

Hmmm, is he just naturally vengeful?

My father can't remember my address or his; when he wants to contact me, he usually googles me, goes to my site, and writes to my SFF address.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, is he just naturally vengeful?

Just occasionally muddled. And it occurs to me that I actually do have a way to get hold of Ruth. In one of those truth-has-it-all-over-fiction moments, it happens that Ruth's boyfriend is the ex-husband of my brother-in-law's wife. So I can get a phone number as soon as Bren gets home from work.

My father can't remember my address or his; when he wants to contact me, he usually googles me, goes to my site, and writes to my SFF address.

I love it. My father has a computer, but refuses to do email.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

In one of those truth-has-it-all-over-fiction moments, it happens that Ruth's boyfriend is the ex-husband of my brother-in-law's wife.

Uh...huh.

::leaves to find coffee::

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

::leaves to find coffee::

Bring me one, too, willya?

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

Those wacky dads. You never know what they'll do.

[difrancis.livejournal.com]

Zim!

[chappysmom2.livejournal.com]

In fairness to your Dad, it's POSSIBLE that the usps website just doesn't recognize the address. A year or so ago I had some yarn I needed to return to Wisconsin and the usps site simply refused to accept it was a valid address, even though the people had been living and working there for decades and the address really was perfectly fine. I finally just carried the box to the post office and it arrived exactly where it was supposed to two days later. But if a computer says, "No," it's not possible for a mere human to change its mind . . . so it's possible that the address he (finally) gave you is correct, just not recognized by the post office website.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Just for fun, you could feed the address to Google maps and see if they know where it is? If so, you might even be able to see the place.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

you could feed the address to Google maps and see if they know where it is?

Steve did essentially that with his sooper-dooper Delorme, and -- there is no street by that name in the town he says he's living in. So...either the street name's right, and the town's wrong; or the town's right and he muddled the street name.

[difrancis.livejournal.com]

Ain't it horrible when the 'rents get independent? Forget who raised them? Forget that people worry about them and might want to contact them? What if there's an emergency? *snarf* At least the cats don't do it. Much.

Di