Saturday morning, our breakfast situation was a mess.  I had pink eye and no one wanted me touching food.  The boys looked hungry, but none of them wanted to prepare any food, because cereal is a lot of work (insert dad style sarcasm).  Charlene was off at the gym getting even more fit.  What to do?

Well, I figured I would make it work.  I could certainly drive the boys somewhere, but I could not go inside, because well, now I look hideous.  We had to go to a place that the boys could navigate on their own to find food.  Ah, ha!  The grocery store.  They knew where the doughnuts were.  They were familiar with the self checkout lane.  We had a winner.

Sure, enough the plan went off without a hitch.  The boys fetched some doughnuts and a newspaper.  The fellow grocery store shoppers were spared the sight of my hideous red eyes.  Win, win.

Heading out of the parking lot, I was gleeful.  We had our breakfast.  We were champions.  I scooted across the lanes toward the exit, when suddenly a car, who was driving the correct way stopped.

Embarrassed, I bowed my head and slunk away.  Sure I had doughnuts, but certainly I was a dope.

Needing a distraction, I turned on the radio and there was my escape.  Prince singing “Raspberry Beret.”  Trying to embrace the moment, I sang with abandon, “She wore a raspberry beret.  The kind you find in a second hand store.  Raspberry beret, I think I lo-o-ove her.”  Continuing on and not worrying about who else was in the car, I soon noticed that my 12-year-old son was also singing along to the chorus.

Thank you, Prince, for the momentary escape.  Thank you, Prince, for giving us a smile, because that’s really the best gift of all.  Passing along joy.  Passing along happiness, because the world can always use a good smile.