Cats in the Cradle

I managed to get into trouble for not escalating a problem at work when I should have. That will fall out, how it falls out.

As I was driving into the facility to fix the problem, and get on a conference call, the song “Cats in the Cradle” by Ugly Kid Joe started playing on my Empeg mp3 player.

As I sat during the the meeting I had an epiphany. I will be happy being a worker bee forever.

In the song, UKJ sang

My child arrived just the other day;
Came to the world in the usually way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
He was talkin’ ‘fore I knew it.
And as he grew he said,
“I’m gonna be like you, Dad.
You know I’m gonna be like you.”

Chorus :
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man on the moon.
“When you comin’ home ?”
“Son, I don’t know when.
We’ll get together then.
You know we’ll have a good time then.”

Well, my son turned ten just the other day.
He said , “Thanks for the ball, Dad. Come on, let’s play.
Could you teach me to throw ?” I said, “Not today.
I got a lot to do.” He said, “That’s okay.”
And he walked away and he smiled and he said,
“You know,
I’m gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I’m gonna be like him.”

Chorus

Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
“I’m proud of you. Could you sit for a while ?”
He shook his head and he said with a smile,
“What I’d really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please ?”

Chorus :
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man on the moon.
“When you comin home, Son ?”
“I don’t know when.
We’ll get together then.
You know we’ll have a good time then.”

I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
“I’d like to see you, if you dont mind.”
He said, “I’d love to, Dad, if I could find the time.
You see my new job’s a hassle and the kids have the flu,
But it’s sure nice talkin’ to you, Dad.
It’s been sure nice talkin’ to you.”

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me,
He’d grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)

Chorus

As I listened to these people on the conference call, Vice Presidents, etc, I realized that my prorities are with my famliy.

In thirty years it won’t matter if I was a high muckty-muck at work if I managed a lot of people, it won’t matter that I owned a nice truck or that I owned lots of pinball machines.

It’s all about family (hopefully, some day I can start one of my own 😉 .). That’s all that matters.

I can give up the pinball machines, I can drive a beater. It doesn’t matter.

In thirty years, the only ones who will even care who I was are my family. The people at work will have long since forgotten who I am. The positions don’t matter. The money doesn’t matter.

Family is what matters.