Father of the brides

I've always found it amusing how my dad never cried at my wedding, but bawled quite alarmingly at Shaheen's. I was never offended that he seemed less emotional at mine. I quite liked that about him...not getting too emotional with me because that would really have upset me. At my wedding we danced, we laughed, we argued about my lack of punctuality and while Sid and I stuffed our wedding gifts into the car after the wedding, my dad waved a cheery too-da-loo at me and said "It's too cold, need to go to bed, see you in Bangalore in two days (for the wedding reception my parents were hosting there)" and whisked off leaving the bride and groom to pull out of the parking lot last and drive home with our gift laden car. 

There may have been a rather casual attitude then, but when it mattered he could say the most touching things. I was really upset about a job I took once, only to decide to quit a month later - something I was absolutely embarrassed about and cried about everyday. My parents called me every day to try and get me through the work day and persuade me to make it through but I just wasn't able to and a month in, I called him howling and said "I have to quit. I've never done something like this I'm so embarrassed, please don't be ashamed of me". The shock in his voice was audible, "Ashamed? Are you crazy. I could never be ashamed of you and Shanu, you're my biggest achievements". I bawled even louder, which then made him grow impatient and yell at me to pull myself together :) that was my dad...knowing when to bawl, when to be brave for those who needed it and most importantly when to bullshit you and give you a kick-up-your-pants when you needed to pull yourself together!