The most ‘dad moment’ I think I’ve ever seen…and it was absolutely glorious

So a few weeks ago, just going about some casual Saturday activities down at the local Irish music/culture festival (as one does), I witnessed an act so striking in its nature that it absolutely demanded an eventual response akin to the one I’m finally undertaking right now.

What I saw in this particular moment happened to so perfectly encapsulate a specific element of the human condition, and to such an astounding degree no less, that even standing there witness just feet away, I myself was unsure that it was truly happening.

Dad-ness personified

Most, if not all of us are familiar with the concept of a ‘dad joke,’ and by extension, what might be described as TDB, or ‘typical dad behavior.’

We’re describing the innate urge experienced by many of those with a Y chromosome to conduct oneself in such a fashion that is equal parts likely to greatly embarrass any relative or friend in their immediate presence as it is unlikely to phase the offender in question in any way whatsoever.

There are websites, Wikipedia pages, and endless books, calendars and other memorabilia all dedicated to variations of this fascinating phenomenon.

But despite the very moniker itself being led by the word ‘dad,’ it has become increasingly clear that having a child of one’s own is not in any way a prerequisite to experiencing symptoms of this ‘debilitating’ genetic condition.

The overall concept has essentially become a catch-all term for guys acting like compete goofballs largely for the sheer enjoyment it brings themselves, and with little-to-no concern for the mortification it draws from those around them. Of course, in a best case scenario the subject may also receive a knowing nod of approval from a nearby peer, who, in all likelihood shares a similar proclivity for such behavior.

And while I wouldn’t personally consider myself to be a purveyor of such conduct — at least not too frequently — I do feel that I possess a certain proficiency in recognizing these occurrences when and where they do take place given my experience as someone whose own father is unabashedly a tenured, card-carrying member of the ‘dad behavior’ society.

The event

To further set the scene of the wonderful ‘crime’ at the center of story, I’m standing in line with my father at the ticket booth when just to our left a man in his 50’s or 60’s approaches an adjacent window.

As he reaches for his wallet the employee on the other side of the glass politely asks him, “Just the one?”

Now to be clear, this man certainly could’ve been purchasing tickets for more than just himself, the others in his party simply waiting over by the entrance for him to join them. It’s totally plausible, and thus, a completely valid question to be asked and then answered by said ticket seller and buyer respectively.

But instead of the outcome of said exchange becoming nothing but a plain, run-of-the-mill response, I watched as instead the gears began to turn in the man’s head and a twinkle came to his eye.

‘Dad behavior’ had been successfully engaged and was about to become fully operational.

“Yep, just the one,” he replied — until the end of the sentence morphed into a brief pause rather than a definitive conclusion…

“Oh, wait hang on a second,” he continued, turning all the way around to look behind himself at a line that didn’t and hadn’t ever existed, at a cluster of family/friends for whom he wasn’t ever planning to pick up the tab for — because they weren’t even there in the first place.

“Yep, just me today,” he reaffirmed, once again facing the window, and doing so with a thrill in his expression that let you know he simply couldn’t be more proud of himself for the shenanigans he’d just pulled on this unsuspecting employee, and right out in broad daylight no less.

It was peak dad behavior if I’ve ever seen such a thing, and quite conceivably may never be topped again in my lifetime.

You see it’s not just about the silly joke, bad pun or outlandish gesture. Oh no.

One must also immerse oneself so deeply in this type of exploit that for a singular, finite moment of time you’ve become without a doubt the greatest, most clever person alive.

Only through this combination of sheer talent and willpower (not to mention total disregard for the concept of personal shame) does an individual ever attain such status — and what a sight to behold it is when they do.

And so I stood there for a moment before we turned to head toward the entrance ourselves, brimming with this odd, shared sense of pride in what I’d just seen. Because that could’ve just as easily been my dad at any point in the past two-plus decades of my conscious life. And someday in the future — maybe even a lot sooner than I think — that could easily be me.

A parting thought

I think more and more about these sorts of odd little idiosyncrasies as I’ve gotten older, especially so in the past few years.

In that thought I’ve realized that one of my favorite things about my own father is his propensity for ‘typical dad behavior,’ and not only that, but the fact that with each passing year (and decade for that matter) it seems to bring him as much, if not more joy than it ever has.

So for as much as the guy I observed at the ticket booth the other day was his own personal, sublime display of dad-ness, if anything he more so represented a piece of my own life that I’ve grown increasingly, if subconsciously fond of — and probably don’t recognize quite often enough.

Dad jokes are cool. Dad behavior is always in.

For all of those out there who’ve taken it upon themselves over the course of history to carry on this honorable tradition, my own father included — all the while lacking the deserved respect and acknowledgement for your service — I salute you.

You are the very best of us.

And our world is infinitely better for your selfless, shameless efforts.