Given the scourges this year has seen—disease, economic free fall, clouds of tear gas in the streets—you’d think that the apt literary comparison would be the book of Exodus, where even the Bible gets Biblical. But The Tale of Two Cities also sits well in the ear, with that opening paragraph of opposites: best of times, worst of times, etc. “It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,” Dickens wrote—and somehow, on the cusp of summer, we have ourselves a bit of both. Protesting and picnicking, fretting and footballing, working and parenting at the same time. Last month, mothers had a much-deserved Mother’s Day. This Sunday, fathers get their due.
What do dads want? “Nothing” is the usual line. Better yet, a donation to an aid organization you both support. But in the spirit of Two Cities, here is a two-part list of gifts that a father might enjoy, whether he’s a Serious Man or a Fun Guy. For the former, a design-minded scent, a marble soap dish, and a Gordon Parks photography book are beauties to behold. For the latter, fancy bike lights, confetti-like soap, and pastel underwear brighten the mood. The gesture alone is appreciated—plus, the USPS could use the lift.
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