Dropping Off Dan

I was dropping off Dan in Boston

Drove three hours

Dropped him off

Asked him if he needed anything

He said ‘No’

Gave him a hug

Turned around

Came home

Pretty easy

Nothing big to report

Except, you know

On the way there

He said, uh--

He was like--

I wish we were closer

And you know, that--

That took me by surprise

I wasn’t, uh

I wasn’t expecting that

His Mom--

His Mom was always, uh--

She was good with that

Making everybody feel--

Everybody in the family

Feel like a--

Like a family, you know?

So when we lost her

I just--

It was all on me

To sort of, uh

Take over

In that regard, and uh--

I don’t think I did

A very good job

I love my kids

I love all my kids

But, uh, you know

Missy sort of took over

When my wife left off

And she kind of became the de facto Mom

Which, uh, isn’t right, but--

And Joey

Joey just sort of keeps to himself

Never really needs anything

From anybody

But, uh, Dan

Dan really needed somebody

He, uh, he’s had some--

There have been some rough times

I’ll tell you that, and uh--

I’m not saying

Having his mom around

Would have fixed everything

But, uh, it--it would have helped, I think

He needed his mom, you know

Kid--Kids need a Mom and a Dad, I think

They need--

Hell, they need even more than that

They need a thousand people

Just to turn out all right

And, uh--

But he didn’t even have his Mom

And he really needed her

And he needed me to step up

And I--

I just couldn’t

I didn’t

I…

So I dropped him off

And he asked why we aren’t closer

And I--

All I could say was--

I’ll do better

You know, that’s--

That’s all I could say, but, uh--

You know what the great thing about my kid is?

The great thing about Dan?

Here’s me

Saying this thing

And I don’t know if I can do it

And there’s no reason to believe I can do it

But, uh, he still--

He still looks at me like I can do it

Like, maybe I can pull it off

He believes in me

Kid has a hell of a time loving me

And I don’t blame him, but--

After everything he’s been through
He still believes in people

He believes in his Dad

And, uh--

I don’t know

I don’t know, man

I bet he gets that

From his Mom