"Parker! Wake up Bub, time to get ready for school."
I groaned and rolled over. I was not looking forward to this. School sucks but Dad said I had to go.
"First grade up for school
My Dad came into my bedroom
Said 'Hurry son, you're gonna miss the bus. Get dressed and brush your teeth.'
Then he stopped me down the hall
Said 'You're way too young to be so tall'
And I felt invincible as cool as cool could be
He put me up against the door right before I left
And drew a pencil line just above my head."
I was running down the hall when Dad pulled me into a hug.
"You're getting way too big Parks." he said with a smile.
I smiled back when he pulled me to the front door. This was the only part of the first day of school I liked. He pulled a pencil from his pocket and right there on the door drew a line above my head. Mom would never dream of drawing on the walls but Dad did it once a year. It was our tradition.
"And that mark on the door
Is just higher than the one before
Wasn't much but I knew then
Someday I'd be big like my dad
'Cause growing up is huge
From a kids point of view
I'd stand up straight to see how far apart
He drew those pencil marks."
High school was great. I played hockey just like Dad and baseball. Dad finally married Tempe and with her help I was set to be valedictorian. I had two baby sisters that I adored and I was a great big brother if I do say so. I finally got to move in with Dad permanently and loved it. Mom wasn't too happy but Captain Fantastic . . . umm . . . Brent and I just didn't get along. He didn't seem to understand that he wasn't my father. I already had the best one and no one would take his place. And through it all on the first day of school Dad would always up a mark on the wall.
"High school was good to me
Shot up like a rocket
Suddenly my world had changed
I was seeing things a little different than before"
The day after graduation I told my parents that I had joined the army. I was leaving in a week. Mom and Tempe cried and Capt . . . Brent gave me a disapproving look. But Dad understood. H just looked at me before pulling me into a hug. I could tell Tempe understood too but Mom and Brent just didn't get it. I spent the next week saying bye to everyone. Dad helped me pack my duffle and get ready. The day I left, we were walking down the hall and he said "I'm so proud of you Bub." He pulled me over to the door and measured me for my fist day in the army but then he made another mark. "I'll be counting down the days 'til you come home."
"Not a boy not quite a man
Just old enough for my Uncle Sam
My dad helped me pack my duffle bag
Then he walked me to the door
He said 'I'm proud of what you're doing
Just know that while you're gone
I'll be counting down the days 'til you come home."
Every time I came home for leave I would look at that door and there was a mark for every day, even the ones I was home for. I asked Dad about it and he said he wasn't counting until I came home for leave, he was counting until a came home for good. And that made the days go a little faster. Whenever people were over at the house they would look at the door, but no one ever asked.
"With marks on the door
From the ceiling down to the floor
Marked up wood to anyone else
But not to me and my dad
'Cause every day is huge
When someone back home is missing you
I'll soon be coming home and it all starts
With these last few pencil marks."
I'm a Special Agent with the F.B.I. now just like Dad. Special Agent Parker Booth. Has a nice ring to it. I have the most beautiful wife in the world. We've been best friends for years. She's Uncle Jack and Aunt Ange's daughter and Dad likes to tease me that I fell for a squint. Of course Em reminds him that she's an artist not a squint (she took over her Aunt Ange's job) and that he married the biggest squint there is and he shuts right up. I have a boy of my own now. We named him Seeley after Dad. Dad's flattered but says we ruined the poor boy's life by giving him a name like that. Seeley idolizes Dad, he's like his shadow. And it's scary how much he looks like the pictures of me from that age.
"I'm all grown up now with a son of my own
Yeah he's Grandpa's little man
Spitting image of his dad
And on his tippy toes he stands in front of me"
He and I are taking over the tradition form me and Dad, and just like Dad, I put his marks right on the door.
"For a mark on the door
It's barely three feet from the floor
Isn't much but I know now
Someday he'll be big like his dad
For me that is huge
From this man's point of view
Life goes on as one great work of art
With these brand new pencil marks
With my brand new pencil marks."