Interesting and thoughtful

‘I’ve been reading your thingame blog.’ Says my father. ‘Very interesting.’ I look up from fixing his iPad, having already closed at least a hundred web pages, peering at him, over my hated but strategically remembered glasses. Interesting word interesting. There is the interesting exhibit at the museum or gallery which is exactly that and then there is the interesting play or performance art, which is anything but. So which was it dad? ‘Interesting how?’ I ask. ‘Well,’ he says. ‘You always could talk, it’s like that only more thoughtful.’ Thoughtful? Interesting word thoughtful. Did he mean thoughtful as in kindly, considerate or thoughtful as in reflective, inward looking and… ‘You’re doing it now aren’t you.’ He says, interrupting my internal narrative. ‘Doing what?’ I ask but knowing. ‘Thinking,’ he says. ‘It’s not necessary, all that thinking. Look what I achieved. Barely gave it a thought. Just got on with it. Things happen you know, good things, you’re always too busy looking for the rot to enjoy the rest of the apple.’ ‘I enjoy the apple,’ I say. ‘It’s just much harder now, not the apple, life, it’s complicated.’ ‘I grew up in the war son, complicate that.’ ‘There’s been more than one war dad.’ I complain. ‘Only one just war though.’ He replies. I stare at him, this man I have known but misunderstood my whole life, I can see more coming so I stick my head in the cloud. ‘Anyway’, he says. ‘Your blog, I couldn’t help noticing that there’s not much furniture in it.’ ‘It’s not a furniture blog dad.’ ‘You sell furniture though don’t you. Good furniture.’ ‘Yes. Of course.’ ‘So it can’t hurt, having a furniture blog.’ ‘But I want to talk about other things.’ ‘Why?’ ‘I don’t know, I like being thoughtful, and interesting.’ ‘Exactly, thing is, there’s no money in it. You need to stop worrying about what other people think. Write what they want to hear not what you want to say. Are you listening?’ ‘Sorry what?’ ‘Are you listening?’ ‘Yes, you said it can’t hurt having a furniture blog.’ ‘Ages ago, what are you doing to my ipad?’ ‘Getting this all down before I forget it, I’ve got a blog to write.’