Deep Gene Pools

Ever meet those seemingly perfect families?  Father is usually a pilot for a major airline, CEO of a fortune 500 company or state senator.  Mom gets to stay home and take the kids to their soccer games, baseball games & dance practices.  Their kids always say 'yes mamn' when asked to please use their 'inside voice' and the child actually does what she's asked in immediate response to mom's calm still voice; communicating like one's favorite grade school teacher.

 

The children are never seen out in public wearing dirty tees or with snotty noses.  No, their designer polo shirts with crisp white tee shirts underneath are always sparkling clean.  They all seem to go to private schools and make straight A's. Everyone likes them and they like everyone they meet, genuinely, no snobbery to be found. 

 

I want so much to hate these people, but can't find anything within their perfectness to dislike.  I call it the Mary Poppins syndrome.  My sister in law is one of these people and I love her dearly.  She's the principal of the most prestigious school in our city ($30K per year tuition).  I want so badly to find something to dislike about her, but there's simply no flaws to be found.  She's patient with my devil spawn child.  Loves him, molds him and makes him a better person (and me as well). 

 

Meeting and knowing people like this can make one have a pity party real fast and although I come from Tennessee, I'd never admit to coming from a 'Shallow Gene Pool'.  No, the river doesn't run deep here, but the waters are at least navigable.  The faces in my family are relatively symmetrical.  We have all our fingers, toes and yes, even teeth!  No one ever married or as far as I know even kissed their cousin; not that any one would admit anyway (which is something to be said all on its own). 

 

Most in my family and most families I meet fall in the 'Middling Gene Pool'.  We have average jobs with average incomes.  Our kids are good at sports and do well in school, but aren't slated for greatness unless they really apply themselves.  Distinction doesn't come naturally for us, but the potential is there. 

 

Our kids have been known to throw it down on the floor at Wal-Mart because that's the nature of the people who shop there.  As parents, we sometimes lose our tempers during those events as we muscle our way thru the self check out lane, in fear of losing our place in line.  We've been known to feed our kids Chicken Nuggets without guilt because we're just too darn tired to cook up the nutritional meal.  In short, our lives are just too real for reality and it's easy to look at the Deeps with wanted contempt, but knowing it's not their fault they are so perfect.

 

I had a patient this week that obviously came from the Deep Gene Pool category.  He retired at age 50 from the Pharmaceutical industry.  He flies his personal plane everywhere he goes.  Has three sons; one slated for professional baseball, one is completely creative and musically talented and the last is on his way toward becoming an Olympic diver.  The man was a great conversationalist and I wanted to spend all afternoon talking with him in awe of his seemingly perfect family and life.

 

However, as I sat at his bedside, noting he was there because of a recent liver transplant, aging and nearing the end of his days.  I came to realize, NO ONES LIFE IS PERFECT.  We all have our crises and crosses to bear.  No one escapes the reality of every day living.  Everyone's kids blow up at some point.  We all have our embarrassing moments.   And while the Deeps do have a seemingly perfect life, one has to remember that it's only SEEMINGLY PERFECT.  For some the flaws and trials are just not as obvious.

Author's Note

IMAGE CREDIT: earthcalm.com/pages/main.php?pg=qa

Reviews

[DrewBerry]

Ha Ha Boehm. I've been caught on the wrong side of the swamp myself a few time.

~ praying for rain ~

[TL Boehm]

WOW. I think my family is mostly from the wading side....or maybe that swamp to the left. This is humorous - with just enough of a bite to give it an edge but not enough that it bares teeth and scares the reader. peace.

[poetforlife]

You are such a talented writer and I usually by-pass stories but I can never click away from one of yours. You really are great. Always entertaining and you keep me hungry line for line until the very end.