all that for a ticket

so ive been playing around with some of the settings on this thing all morning. truth is - i like to press buttons so i could spend even more time trying to get things "just right".

my dad had minor surgery in june... which required him to take off work, and go to physical therapy about 2 times a week. He is getting better at following the doctors orders but in the beginning- it was a struggle. Despite the fact he had no medical degree- he thinks in fact he knows he has the remedy for all that ails him or anyone else for that matter. so because he's been at home recuperating I call more often that usually to check in -and he updates me on gas prices, Olympic trials, Barack's oversea excursions, etc... This is cool. Im enjoying it -it seems like we are beginning to relate to each other like adults, as opposed to daddy and baby girl (which is what is does call my sister and I from time to time). No harm done- really.

So because he is at home most of the day alone he finds all these things to get into. Or problems that need to solved or straightened out. Some of the problems are valid (grass needs cutting) some of them- make me wonder about what happens to people with too much time on their hands. I call last night, just to check in. My dad sounds distracted and concerned about something- i cant tell all in the way he is saying hello. I figure he will get around to telling me as he is not one to hold his tounge. So I go into my usually line of questioning, how was PT, what's Barack up to, etc. He responds but I can tell he is not up for the small talk today.
So finally i ask- Daddy whats wrong?

He says I cant believe it... I can't believe it.

What???

I lost my lottery ticket!!!

I began to laugh in amusement.

Naw naw this is serious business.

(I heard things rattling in the background, noises fading in and out, he is clearly pacing around the house.)

I had it in my shirt pocket and now I cant find it...

Well Daddy- im sure it will turn up.

Okay so I utter more reassurances. He is not having it. I need to put this in perspective. My dad buys lottery tickets fairly frequently. Not a lot of them- but enough to be a part of the action. During one family dinner where my Dad was leading the blessing of the food at the end of the blessing he asked the Lord for the lottery numbers. "Help a brotha out" he said. So he is quite distraught by having misplaced this ticket. I dont know if he ever found it- and I'll check in later to see what happened.

But man my parents are characters...