One perk of dad’s occupation as a car dealer was that he often let us borrow cars off the lot for our personal use. I had come to the lot one morning to get a car that I planned to take on a road trip down the Kenai Peninsula. The process was taking a while as Dad had his mechanics make sure all the fluids were topped off and that everything was in working order.

I appreciated the safety check but was already getting impatient when Dad said he wanted to show me how to change a flat tire.

Good grief, I thought. I’ll be here all day.

Dad insisted and said, “Just come around to the back of the car and open the trunk.” I expected him to show me tire iron and tell me where to place the jack and how to remove the tire, but what he did instead just floored me.

“Put one hand on the trunk lid and the other on your hip, like this,” he said as he demonstrated a classic ‘come on’ pose. “And then smile as the cars drive by,” he said.

I had to laugh and my impatience melted away and turned into appreciation for the car and his concern for my safety. As he handed me the keys, I gave him a hug and said, “Thanks, Dad.”