Married, with children, frequently hungry.

From 1987 to 1997 a popular sitcom called “Married with Children” aired on the Fox network. You can still find the re-runs on cable. The central character is the always-suffering Al Bundy. He has a wife and two children and works in a shoe store. His family basically ignores him and spends what little money he makes. His wife doesn’t work and only gets off the couch to shop for clothes.

For me, one of the funniest reoccurring threads was that there was never any food in the house when Al returned home from work. Prior to his returning, his wife and children would sneak out to some fast food joint or chain restaurant and return with nothing for Al. Watching it as bachelor and then as a young father, it seemed inconceivable that a wife and children would not care about whether their husband/dad ate.

“I had two mini-burgers saved for you, but Danny was still hungry after his steak and ate them,” Mary tells me as I return home from work on a recent night. My family had eaten at one of those chain restaurants I hate, but tonight the thought of two mini-burgers made my mouth water. Oh well. At least Danny and Mary and Michael were well fed. Instead of mini-burgers, I opened a can of soup.

“You guys are going to Burger King?,” I ask as Mary and my sons as they head out the door on another night. “Just get me the usual.”
The usual is nothing. It has become a running joke in my house.

“Ok Danny the joke is over. You can get my food out of the car now,” I tell my 15-year-old on yet another night when he and his mother have dined out.
“Dad I’m not kidding. We didn’t bring you anything from the diner,” he responds. I love diner food.

Let me know what you think.