Yesterday morning after another grueling graveyard shift, I stopped by at the parental unit on the way home.

My step-mother wasn't around and I honestly didn't even feel like bothering to ask where she was.

Turns out I didn't have to ask.

My Dad was quick to tell me that she had suddenly gone completely blind, and was on her way to get an operation to perhaps fix the problem.

We sat out on the front porch for a spell and I finally said, "Well, I stopped by to wish you a happy 79th birthday, but it sounds like it kinda sucks already." ....He said, "Yeah it does."

Then he mentioned for the umteenth time how bad he usually feels, how he sleeps most of the day and just can't function in the early morning hours etc. etc.

After a few more minutes of awkwardly chewing some fat I said, "Well,I guess I'll be heading on home now." He said, "Well, glad ya dropped by, stop in anytime."

We then paused for a moment and looked each other squarely in the eye.

I think what we were both secretly waiting to hear were the words "I love you"