By Amaya Benzaquin-Magill — Correspondent
When it comes to finding the perfect gift, Father’s Day can certainly impose a challenge.
I feel lucky to have been saved on many occasions by the pairing of gifts from Joy Street and eats from Nashoba Brook Bakery. As I’ve learned, it’s much easier for Dad to swallow the fact that there’s no Ferrari 296 GTB in the driveway when enjoying hot sauce with a side of home fries.
While a Ferrari is a slightly bigger ask than last year’s flatwound guitar strings and a gift certificate to The Concord Bookshop, there is some good news: “I only really want the keys,” Dad said. “Don’t worry about the car.”
A Ferrari would undoubtedly be the gift of a lifetime — and my dad, Paul Benzaquin, may truly deserve it this year.
Our Mother’s Day began as usual with a gift from Juju and a bouquet from Fresh Cut Paper. It ended with the unfortunate discovery a serious brain illness in my father.
Thanks to the care and expertise of Emerson Hospital, early detection provided the chance to seek treatment in Boston, allowing him to recover following a craniotomy.
What matters now
After three weeks of parking on the roof of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, I began truly considering the Ferrari. It occurred to me the plug-in model could utilize the vacant charging spots on Level 1, making my life exponentially better.
Honestly, how difficult can it be to persuade someone with a new lease on life to splurge for the car along with the keys?
What I came to slowly understand this Father’s Day was that after brain surgery, a Ferrari no longer makes the wishlist cut.
Returning to teach Lower School Music at Nashoba Brooks School and playing guitar at West Concord Porchfest outshine the Ferrari now. Desperate to just resume riding his bike on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, a Ferrari now holds little appeal for my dad.
He probably would have preferred a Ferrari over an ambulance for a quicker arrival, but this Father’s Day, we’re aiming to slow things down.
We’re eager to relish the day, indulge in a meal at Woods Hill Table, and express gratitude that all he really wanted was the keys.
