Resslin' Around by Casey Ressler

When the chief is gone, the Indians will play

"Dad, I miss mommy," my daughter Madison said with a tear in her eye, counting the hours until Mom came home from a four-day business trip to New Orleans. "Honey, I miss her too," I said, looking down at my mismatched socks, knowing full well that my clothes didn't match either in my wife's absence. "What do you say we get some ice cream?"

Come Friday morning, I officially made it through the week wearing the Mr. Mom and Mr. Dad hat. Of course there were some rough moments, but those moments weren't so big that trips to Cold Stone Creamery couldn't overcome in my daughter's eyes.

My daughter, who turns four in November, knew the situation and took full advantage of it -- we ended up with four new fish for our aquarium that mom probably wouldn't have bought, and we made one grand tour of Anchorage that included Red Robin for sundaes, the Sportsman's Warehouse (for undisclosed personal items, if my wife reads this) and Best Buy. There wasn't enough money in the account for a giant plasma television, but don't think the thought didn't cross my mind while we were in electronics nirvana.

"Dad, wouldn't Dora the Explorer look cool on that big TV?" Madison asked as my eyes were glazed over, staring at the enormous screen.

"Uh, sure, you bet honey. So would the Denver Broncos on Sundays, with a giant sandwich on my lap on the recliner and an ice cold drink to wash it down," I replied, going into a cold sweat while thinking about the possibility.

"Dad, I miss mommy," Madison said. "Would that 50-inch plasma TV get you over missing her?" I asked, grabbing for the plastic in my wallet. "Because it sure would make me feel better, honey. If you want it, and you tell mommy it was all your idea and not mine, we'll cash in your educational IRAs and buy that sucker and have it up in time for the 3 p.m. baseball game. Remember, though, it's all your idea."

"Dad, instead of that TV, all I want is some french fries," Madison said, jerking me back into reality.

"Fine, let's get some French fries, then. But whatever you do, don't tell mommy we've had fries for dinner every night she's been gone, honey," I said.

Casey Ressler (valleylife@frontiersman.com) is the Valley Life editor.