So here are my folks in tonight’s photo, and a brutal shot it is. I took it just seconds ago in their apartment, where I came to dinner tonight to check up on them. Truth be told, the photo isn’t as bad as it could be. You see, my dad has two black eyes. I suggested they pose with my mom throwing a faux punch and my dad reacting in response. What I got was her looking off in space and my dad staring at the camera and appearing to cry.

Believe me, that’s pretty disconcerting.

The truth of it is that my dad had eyelid surgery yesterday, a procedure to remove some excess eyelid and make it easier for him to see. Like I said, I came over to check on him (and my mom).

At dinner tonight, my dad, two shiners on proud display, said, “You should see the other guy.”