I read the discussion under Sarah's post at DYL, in which she asked the female readers if their fathers were protective when it came to dating. In my case, my father was never all that protective when it came to who I dated when I was a teenager.

However, I'm sure he was a tad intimidating to any boyfriend (or guy friend) that came around, simply because he was a sniper in Vietnam, owns countless firearms, and is a staunch supporter of the NRA. It's probably scary enough to meet your girlfriend's father without the knowledge that he's actually killed people before. However, Brandon gets along great with him, and he's taught Brandon to shoot pretty well. I remember my dad's relief upon meeting Brandon, since he has this misconception that all males in California are effeminate and only enjoy surfing. I believe one of the first things he said to Brandon was, "Oh thank God, you're normal!" Reassuring, no?