Recently I recounted my “birth story” to my grandson who asked about the day I was born. I had never shared this with him before, and I was delighted to see his reaction.
My general practitioner M.D. dad had not been at home for the trip to the hospital when my older brother and sister were born. Grandparents had done the duty for both births. When the time came for me to be born, not only was he at home, he was enjoying the New York Yankees playing the Brooklyn Dodgers in what resulted in an 11–7 victory for his Yanks. As he was spurring his team on to victory, my mom informed him that it “was time.”
Daddy immediately went into panic mode, scrambling around, no doubt, to summon someone to take care of my two siblings while he took Mom to the hospital. Since he was unaware of how my mother proceeded in what was now her third birth, he failed to notice or hear her tell him she was going to take a shower.
If you knew my dad, you would know that he was strong on action, but not always quick on listening. Therefore, when he could not find her, he began running around the apartment looking for her. My mother always enjoyed retelling the part of the story when, after exiting the shower, she could not find him. Turns out he was outside running around looking for her with the car running without his trousers on!
They did get to the hospital, ahead of their obstetrician. My mother was encouraged to cross her legs until the doctor arrived. (I always wondered if he was busy watching the World Series!) My mother told them that the baby was coming whether or not the doctor was present . He got there just in time to “catch me.”
This is how I earned the nickname from my dad of being his World Series Baby. I think my husband and children probably credit the “hurry up and wait” aspect of my first appointment in life, as to why I am always early for meetings and irritated when I have to wait for others.
It’s October 2016 and although the World Series has not begun, I always feel I owe it to my now-deceased dad to check in and see how his Yankees are doing. Not that I root for them; I have my California son and grandson to contend with if I do not act as if I care that the home team wins!
The Kingdom-Driven Family 