When my dad and I got together for lunch a couple of weeks ago, we talked about the new Dixie Chicks CD, as well as the challenges they are facing in getting their fans to show up for concerts in "red states" after their recent comments. I made pretty clear my disdain for Natalie Maines' airheaded "Why do we need to be patriotic?" buffoonery. My dad likes their music, however, even if he doesn't necessarily agree with their Bush-hating political views.
I mentioned that I had a gift picked out for him for Fathers' Day, but that it wouldn't come out until July 4th, and that if there was a book or a DVD or a CD that he would like, to let me know. He said he'd think about it.
I called him a few days later on his birthday and asked him if he'd decided on anything he wanted, and he then told me that he would like the new Dixie Chicks CD.
"Okay," I told him evenly, "if that's what you want, that's what I'll get for you."
I called him again a few days after that to set up a lunch date for this past Friday. I told him that I'd gotten the CD for him and would bring it with me.
"Did it bother you to buy it?" he asked. "I mean, I didn't really mean it to be some sort of test or anything like that. I only realized it might sound that way after I asked for it."
"Dad, it was no problem," I told him. "I love my dad more than I loathe their politics. I didn't really think of it as financially supporting them as much as getting something for you that you wanted. And I bought it at Wal-Mart, which I'm sure that the Dixie Chicks would disapprove of."
He chuckled and offered to let me listen to the CD if I wanted. I told him that I'd pass.
