Narrative

Challenging Vacation Family vacations bring to mind wonderful summer time activities spent with those you love, unless there are challenges to over come in the family circle. National Lampoon’s Family Vacation adventures provide us with other types of family vacation time and social dysfunctions. A father and son plan a vacation to Florida, which puts to test their relationship. The father and son while having a distant relationship were brought together by the vacation which included riding motorcycles, buying matching t-shirts, and a relaxing walk along the beach.
Randy, my wonderful husband comes from a dysfunctional family. While in middle school, Randy’s parents divorced, and his relationship with his dad
Dazed and feeling the effects of the previously consumed alcohol he stumbled over to some stairs. Crawling and bleeding, he inched his way back up to the boardwalk. While stumbling back toward the motel, he came across his father at a bonfire party and was invited to have a drink. Of course, he joined them. What else could possibly happen? He enjoyed the party, when a girl asked him to help her put another log on the fire. So, he complied and picked up his end of the log and together they tossed it on the fire. Standing there enjoying the flames, he suddenly started dancing around, swatting at his legs thinking he was being burned by some sparks. The girl states, “You must be standing on top of that hill of fire-ants.” Randy decided to call it a night. The next day, they showered, grabbed some breakfast, collected the van and left Florida to return home.
This father and son vacation often brings back memories and a lively conversation, dependent upon how each chose to recall the events. Rebuilding a strained relationship takes effort from those involved, especially when children grow up. Warm weather and riding motorcycles is an activity that this father and son both enjoy and became a cornerstone to rebuild their relationship. The matching t-shirts were worn at family barbeques but not for public functions. Looking back on the trip the two can laugh at the outrageous antics encountered, and a fond memory in their transformed