The Dad Gum Plunger

In honor of my parent's forty fifth wedding anniversary let me tell you a little story entitled:

The Dad Gum Plunger.

Now I don't know about you but growing up my parents weren't big fighters. There was never any yelling, at least not at each other, or slamming of doors, at least not by each other against each other. 

Between me and my brother Robbie it was a whole other story. 

Here's what would happen: They would get in a fuss and Mom would let him know she was mad; silent treatment or what have you. Then, eventually, he would do something funny to lighten the mood and she would laugh and it would be okay. 

At least, that's how I remember it. 

One day when I was, oh goodness, eight or so, my Mom called my Dad at work and told him to bring home a plunger. He worked in a lumber company and came home for lunch so this shouldn't have been a big deal. 

Now, I don't know why but he forgot the plunger. And he forgot it that afternoon. And again the next day at lunch. And darn it if he didn't forget the plunger again at dinner the next day. 

Which is kind of weird now that I think about it because he is all kinds of responsible.*

I can see why Mom was irritated. The plumbing aisle was like forty steps from his desk. It took him five minutes to walk from the lumber company to our house. 

Why did he forget that plunger? It's a mystery.

So, Mom had finally had it. She calls him up and tells him, yells at him really,  'I have lunch ready for you at home. AND DON'T FORGET THAT DAD GUM PLUNGER!

He comes home and casually hands her the plunger. 

Written in black marker on the side are the words: 

"Dad Gum Plunger"

Classic Dad.

Somehow, when we moved, the dad gum plunger didn't make the trip. Which is kind of sad. I would have totally fought for that family heirloom.

Forty Five Years. 

That's a heck of a long time. 

I guess that's what happens when you get married at seven stinking teen. 

You go through a lot of plungers in forty five years. 

But I like the dad gum ones best. 

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*The asterisk refers to The Great Fish Plague of 1994.