{"id":60,"date":"2021-09-16T13:48:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T13:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/?p=60"},"modified":"2025-08-22T18:20:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T18:20:04","slug":"mom-and-dad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/16\/mom-and-dad\/","title":{"rendered":"MOM AND DAD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Not infrequently I catch myself speaking, acting or thinking in a way passed on somehow (genetics, learned behavior patterns?) from one of my parents. I\u2019m sure everyone has this sensation. And sometimes the two clash, catching me in waves coming from different directions. That\u2019s the dilemma of Ted in the 1950’s-set musical DAD AND MOM, <\/em>which he lays out in the show\u2019s opening song, with the spectral help of his mom, Bitsy, and his dad, Zach.–J. Linn Allen<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMom and Dad\u201d from the show DAD AND MOM<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

TED<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

YOU ARE YOUR MOM AND DAD\u2014IT\u2019S A TRUTH WELL KNOWN. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE INSIDE YOU AND YOU\u2019RE NEVER ALONE. <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>BUT WHICH ONE AND WHEN, AND TO WHAT DEGREE?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>DOES IT VARY WITH WHOM OR WHERE YOU HAPPEN TO BE?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

DOES ALL THIS SPECULATIONS MATTER? <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AREN\u2019T I REALLY THE ONE <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THAT\u2019S RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THAT I HAVE THOUGHT AND I HAVE DONE?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>YOU WOULD THINK SO. THAT\u2019S SUPPOSED TO BE THE ADULT WAY.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>BUT MY ACTIONS CONFUSE ME AND CONFOUND ME EVERY DAY<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AND I FEEL THESE BIG FINGERS<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THAT ARE POKING ME AND PRODDING ME <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LIKE PLIABLE CLAY.  <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter Zach, who grabs Ted\u2019s arm. <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ZACH<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

SON, YOU\u2019VE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

STAND ON YOUR OWN TWO FEET AND DON\u2019T BACK DOWN.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE WORLD DOESN\u2019T GIVE A DAMN FOR WHAT YOU THINK YOU THINK <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AND A MAN\u2019S GOTTA KNOW HOW TO HAVE A COUPLE LAUGHS<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AND HOW TO DRINK, DRINK, DRINK.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TED<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

DRINK?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter Bitsy, grabbling Ted\u2019s other arm<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BITSY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

TEDDY, MY DEAR, SEE HOW FLOWERS BLOOM IN TIME.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

FIRST EARLY MARCH WITH SNOWDROPS AND CROCUSES, <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THEN STARTING APRIL WITH THE DAFFODILS AND TULIPS.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AFTER COME THE PEONIES IN LATE MAY OR JUNE<\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AS IF NATURE KEPT THE BEAT TO A LONG-RUNNING TUNE.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They pull on him, dancing with him together and in turn. <\/em><\/em> <\/em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0TED<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

NOT WHAT YOU\u2019D CALL WELL MATCHED. IN FACT A TWO-CAR WRECK. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>A BOAT THAT STARTED LEAKING FROM THE TIME THEY STEPPED ON DECK. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019M A MAN, WITH A MORE OR LESS MALE POINT OF VIEW. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AND MY STYLE AND TRAITS AND LIKINGS OFTEN COPY DAD TOO<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LIKE FEDORA HATS AND STUBBORNESS AND JOHNNY WALKER RED <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            AND BULLYING BLUSTER WHEN THE STRESS GOES TO MY HEAD <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>BUT MY MOTHER WAS THE GIVER OF MY COMFORT AND MY FOOD<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            AND SHE\u2019D OPEN UP THE WORLD WHEN IN HER TALKATIVE MOOD,<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>WITH A FLOWING STREAM OF WARMTH AND OF PLEASANT CHAT<\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>ABOUT THE HUMOR OF THIS AND THE MARVEL OF THAT.<\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BITSY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

LAST NIGHT WE ATTENDED THE MOST INTERESTING PLAY<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>CALLED <\/strong>DEATH OF A SALESMAN<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>\u2014VERY SAD AND PROFOUND. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>IT MADE ME THINK A LOT ABOUT OUR VALUES TODAY<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>AND HOW WE SPEND OUR LIVES, SO I COULDN\u2019T HELP BUT WEEP. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>OF COURSE HALF WAY THROUH YOUR FATHER WENT TO SLEEP. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ZACH<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

LISTEN, KIDDO, FOR YOUR INFORMATION,  <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>FANCYPANTS WORDS WON\u2019T CUT IT WITH ME. <\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

YOU THINK THAT YOU\u2019RE SMARTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUT ALL YOU\u2019VE GOT IS A HELL OF A NERVE. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/strong> <\/strong>IN THE END YOU ONLY GET WHAT YOU DESERVE.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TED<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ALL THESE PIECES AND SPLINTERS ARE DRIVING ME NUTS, <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>SO I\u2019VE GOT TO WAKE UP AND GET MY WHEELS OUT OF MY RUTS.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>SOMEHOW SORT OUT THE FORCES AND THEN CALCULATE THE SUM<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>THAT EQUALS THE AGGLOMERATED MAN I\u2019VE BECOME. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong> <\/strong>TED, ZACH, BITSY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

THE POSESSED, CROOKED, COMINGLED MOM AND DAD PERSON<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>I\u2019VE (HE\u2019S) BECOME. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not infrequently I catch myself speaking, acting or thinking in a way passed on somehow (genetics, learned behavior patterns?) from one of my parents. I\u2019m sure everyone has this sensation. And sometimes the two clash, catching me in waves coming from different directions. That\u2019s the dilemma of Ted in the 1950’s-set musical DAD AND MOM, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lyrics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67,"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60\/revisions\/67"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jlinnallen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}