Hey Dads!

Hey Dads! Are you out on the deck flipping burgers on the barbecue? ‘Tis the season for running out of propane just before the meat is finished. But I’m smarter than that now. I knew when the weather started to get nice that we’d be firing up the grill for burgers, steaks, and the occasional pizza. (Did I tell you about the time our oven was broken and my wife was making pizza on the barbecue? Turned out great!)
So, I was well prepared for BBQ season this year. Being responsible and such, I put the two propane tanks out beside the driveway when I put away the BBQ last fall. That way I would see them and remember to take them in to town for a refill. We’d be ready to fire up the grill as soon as spring was in the air! Those beautiful tanks sat there beside the driveway for a few months until we took the BBQ out of the shed in the spring. We were ready to fire it up…as soon as I brought the tanks into town for propane. Which I promptly did only to learn that one was expired and I had to buy a new one. Which I also promptly did and now we were ready to grill some meat!
It’s had a lot of use so far this summer. The other night I was making some sausage for dinner before I had to go out for the evening. Just before they were finished, my lovely wife brought out 3 frozen burgers to cook up. I happily scraped all the annoying sticky paper off of them and put them on the grill to burn…I mean…well… you know what I mean. I had to hit the road to get to my appointment so I went back in the house and told all witnesses within earshot, “I just flipped the burgers.” I felt it unnecessary to provide further instructions like, “Go get them in a few minutes and shut off the BBQ and turn off the propane.”
The next day soon arrived.
I was out and about working hard, no doubt, when I got a text from my lovely wife to tell me one of the kids had turned the BBQ off. That’s interesting. I thought. Didn’t I communicate simple, clear, unmistakeable instructions to do that last night? A wise man once said, “the single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has actually taken place.”
When I got home, I went to check on those burgers I had flipped the night before. They were still there. Only slightly smaller, harder, and blacker. Being generous, we tossed the 3 pieces of charcoal to our dog. Even she had a hard time getting them down. There’s still one black, burnt meat puck lying in the grass today. Dad, we must always communicate clearly. I know you probably do but I sometimes do not. Is there something you need to communicate to your wife or kids? Get on it! Time flies. Make every moment count! Even the burnt ones.
Jason Weening tries not to burn food on the BBQ for his 10 kids and one patient wife. Read more in his book, “Yes, Dear…I’m Watching Them,” on Amazon.