Deadbeat Dads by Roseanne Dowell

son claimed I did. Could have had his son arrested too, for that matter.
    “Now I’m a Youth Counselor. More rewarding, less dangerous.”
    “What made you decide to do that?”
    Carr leaned forward. “I saw a lot of kids getting into trouble. Some came from divorced or single parent homes. I saw a need.”
    “So what’s it like?”
    “It’s never boring, I can tell you that. Every day is something different. Building a relationship with these kids isn’t easy. No two are alike. It’s more than a Monday through Friday job, though, and that makes it tough on Randy sometimes. Strange, if you think about it. I counsel young people, but can’t reach my own son.”
    “What’s going on with Randy?”
    Carr scrubbed his hands across his face. “Nothing I can pinpoint. I’m not crazy about the kids he’s hanging out with, for one thing. He just has an attitude lately. I can’t talk to him. He won’t talk to me. His grades are falling. I just don’t know what to do.”
    I nodded. There wasn’t a darn thing I could say. Heck, he knew more about teenagers than I did. My kids were young. Josh wasn’t even close to being a teen. Was this what I had to look forward to? Already, Josh wouldn’t talk to me.
    “I know he blames me for his mother leaving. Hell, truth be known, he blames himself, too. Most kids do. Especially when a parent ignores their visits. Doesn’t call, never sends a birthday card. He hasn’t seen her since she left. She hasn’t even asked to spend one holiday or weekend with him. Hell, she hasn’t asked to spend an hour with him, let alone a weekend.”
    “I’m sorry. Johnny was the same way. After he left it was like the kids didn’t exist for him anymore. I don’t understand it. How do you ignore your kids?”
    Carr shrugged. “Damned if I know. Randy doesn’t know she’s living with some guy almost half her age. What does a woman see in a man almost young enough to be her son?”
    I almost burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it. The absurdity of the situation struck me as funny. “Same thing a man wants with a woman almost young enough to be his daughter, I guess.”
    Carr smiled. “Good point. Honestly, I don’t get that either. What could they possibly have in common? Thing is, I can understand the woman going after an older guy. Let’s face it. Most of them are established, have money. They don’t have to suffer through the hard times, the lean times. But a younger guy? Seriously, what can an older woman offer him?”
    This time, I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “You have a point. I mean seriously, it would be like dating your son. I always figured it was mid-life crisis for a guy. Couldn’t handle losing his youth or something. His virility. I can’t even imagine what women would want. Certainly not someone to mother. Although some men do like to be mothered. In fact, there’s a woman in our group whose husband ran off with an older woman. A much older woman.”
    “I can’t understand that either. Who wants to date their mother?”
    “So, what did your wife do? I mean for a living?”
    “Barbara is in sales. Made quite a name for herself. Very successful. She was just starting out when I met her. By time we married, she ’d moved up the ladder. Refused to quit. Not that I expected her to. She loved her work. She’s always been career oriented. By time she got pregnant with Randy, she traveled quite a bit. Not a lifestyle I cared for. I didn’t mind that she worked, but I thought for sure when Randy was born, she’d go local. No dice. Nothing was going to change. It was her job, and if I didn’t like it, I could leave and take the kid with me. She wasn’t thrilled with the pregnancy. Now that I think about it, I’m surprised she even had the baby.”
    Lord, what could I say to that? I’d never met a woman who didn’t love children, didn’t live for them. But I didn’t move in those circles, obviously.
    “Barbara wasn’t very maternal. Even when she was