Hi Mr. Fox

We chose to live in a family neighborhood. Good choice. Having the kids around gives the area daytime life. At night they’re home and quiet.

I walked out my back gate onto the service driveway we all share a few minutes ago. Half a dozen little girls, pre-school to 2nd or 3rd grade, walked by. They are at their sweetest, most adorable age.

“Hi girls,” I said.

A few voices returned, “Hi Mr. Fox.”

I smiled and walked back inside.

My whole life I have asked anyone and everyone no matter what age to call me Geoff. Age isn’t a number. It’s stuff like this. Crap.

3 thoughts on “Hi Mr. Fox”

  1. We all think of you as Geoff, and your dad is Mr. Fox. But I have to agree about that age group being the sweetest. After teaching for 20 years, I still love grades K-2 the best!

  2. Geoff, I’m going to gently disagree–I think it is wonderful that the parents of those children have taught them to respect adults by addressing them in the manner they did.

    I know I was taught that way, and all our kids were too. Just good manners, IMHO.

  3. I agree with kE4—while it does feel strange, it is good manners. When I had a last name that even adults mangled I let the kids call me Miss Barbara with their parents permission, otherwise it was Miss A. Unfortunately, we don’t see enough of this today. Nor did I address my parents by their given names–it was always mom and dad—not so with my grandkids and their parents. So accept it with pride—it would be the same if you were 20 or 50! So glad your dad was able to enjoy this trip—and who knows, maybe he’ll be back out there next year!

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