Daddy (not so) cool

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Dads may turn really unpredictable, especially when it comes to their dear daughters entering teenage. Talking about his daughter entering the crucial age, recently US president Barack Obama joked that he might invite her boyfriend to his Oval office for a little grilling session.
Interestingly, it’s not only the US President who got concerned about his daughter’s would-be boyfriends. Many girls have faced embarrassing and trying situations at some point, while introducing their boyfriends to their dads.
While some say that their dads simply turn overprotective when they go out with their guy friends, others face embarrassment among friends when their dad’s concern spoils the fun.
Priyanka Goswami, a first year B.Tech student, had a tough time when her first boyfriend came home some years ago. “It was three years ago when I invited my boyfriend from school home for studies. My dad, being a police inspector, works in shift and incidentally even he was home that time. I was unaware of it and so couldn’t inform my boyfriend, who was excited to meet my supercool mom. But he was too scared when he found my dad home. The charming yet strict personality of my dad made him so nervous that he dropped a glass of water,” quips Priyanka. The entire episode was upsetting for Priyanka at that time, but now she laughs at it and also at the “loser” guy, who she now thinks was just a crush.
But not everyone can laugh it off so easily. Apeksha Sharma, 25, remembers her 19th birthday when she introduced her boyfriend to her dad. “I never thought that my dad, who was always cool with my guy friends, would react so strongly. The moment I told him that he is the guy I like, dad started observing him so minutely that it became too uncomfortable for my friend. He got irritated with the thorough examination and left much before the party got over,” says Apeksha, who still feels embarrassed thinking about that day.
Priyanshi Gulati, a second year engineering student, says that her dad has never done anything that would have embarrassed or upset her. “But once during a cousin’s wedding, when a guy was trying to flirt with me, dad got so protective that he went to him and threatened him with dire consequences if he didn’t stay away from me. He has otherwise always been cool with my guy friends. It was something he had never done before. I was shocked by the entire episode,” she says.
However, for second year college student, Ritika Vohra, 20, the embarrassment that she experienced due to her dad turned into a loving recollection later.
“The day I entered college, my dad got super concerned about me. So much so that he would not only drop me to college, but also pick me up. It was really embarrassing as all my friends came on their own and enjoyed their new-found freedom. Believe it or not, even when I went to parties with my guy friends, dad accompanied me. All my friends made fun of me. But today, I feel great as I know of very few fathers who actually take out so much time for their kids,” says Ritika.