When parents text

"B. (Brady) Martin just had second baby. By c-section. Two weeks early. Child downward facing." Wait--what? You don't get text messages like the above from your dad? Your old man doesn't regale you via text message about all the latest birth announcements and encounters with your grade school pals?

How odd.

After the above text message, I received the following one, also from Pop Cell which is how the old man is listed in my phone:

"No, I didn't. I will look for her. I'm still on 21."

Later I will text him, "It would appear that one was not intended for me."

He will text back and clarify that he had meant to send that to his co-counsel. Their client couldn't find her court room.

The old man doesn't know how to use his phone contacts. He has an iPhone. He can probably perform laser surgery with it. Isn't there an app for that? Instead he memorizes phone numbers. Like it's still 1986. Sometimes I get messages intended for my uncle Chip whose area code is the same as mine. Those are unmistakable.

He texts with perfect punctuation in legalese short hand, usually reporting about his pugs' latest exploits or responding thankfully to a picture of the kiddies that I sent him. He sends similar missives to Loverpants. In dude language mostly.

I don't get to see my old man more than a couple times a year. He is morally opposed to e-mail and is usually interrupted on a phonecall. Don't even talk about Skype. Seriously, perish the very thought of marrying a visual conversation in real time for the old man. He would sooner move to another state, which he hasn't done in his 60+ years.

But I get to send memoranda of love in a terse language via a digital screen every couple of days to the old man. And he responds in kind. Swiftly and with humor and affection.

Or with gems like this: "Highly unethical and morally repugnant. I'm a bit peeved. Love you guys lots and lots."

It's a good way for a daddy and a daughter to keep up in this busy world.