Meet Andy Soloman, 2 decades in the Haight; and Richard Ferguson, 3 decades. They’re cool dads in the ‘hood who often hang out on their stoop with their kids [Andy’s boy, Jude, 8, and girl, Reya, 5; Richard’s girl, Izzy, 6], just sharing good vibes. We met up in the Panhandle a couple months ago and, while the kids ran around, we found out just what makes these urban dads tick.
HSV: So we’re just kind of re-queing it so we’re rolling still, we’re re-continuing …
A: [laughs.]
HSV: So reintroduce yourselves just to be safe, so we have that. Sorry guys, one more time.
A: [pointing to R] Richard Ferguson of Central Avenue. Andy Solomon and Jude [with rubberball]
HSV: Jude who just had his game, he had an ace baseball game. High five. And we were rolling earlier but our tape was a little messed up so we’re just gonna — sorry dudes. I am so sorry!
R: Officially in the Upper Haight for 3 decades.
HSV: And [to Andy] you said 2 decades from Humboldt County.
R: And this has been Upper Haight the whole time.
A: Yep, Masonic and Oak …
HSV: It’s a good place to land.
R: It is, yeah.
A: So you know, the good stuff about here is what everybody knows. Everybody who’s from here, or at least everybody who’s been here more than a couple of months, knows why it’s awesome. It’s awesome because it’s fun, it’s exciting, whenever you walk out the door you know you’re gonna see something fun.
HSV: It’s true!
A: And maybe it might be unsettling but it is very rarely uncomfortable or … you might kind of be like, “Eeesh” but you’re almost never like, “I gotta get out of here.”
HSV: Well, we should probably tap into that shooting that happened cuz I saw both of you when that happened. Let’s just touch on that but not go down that road too much.
A: That’s was definitely the most upsetting thing that’s ever happened in my life.
HSV: Jude, how did you feel? Did you feel scared when that happened?
Jude: Well, I didn’t feel scared when it happened but I did feel scared the next day.
HSV: Wow. Cuz you were afraid it might happen again or something?
A: Well, do you want to tell Linda where you were when that happened?
J: I was playing outside.
R: And you were with me and Reya on the corner, right?
J: You were right there on the corner?
R: Right there next to Ritual Coffee.
A: [to Jude] And did you see it all happen?
J: Yep. And I also so Dad run up right next to the guy.
R: And remember, what did I say?
J: “Get in the house!”
R: “Run, get in the house” yeah.
HSV: Wow.
R: We ran. We ran.
A: That was definitely horrible and scary. That was a really an intense, life-changing feeling for all of us.
R: That was a one-off. That doesn’t really happen anymore.
HSV: It was gang related … We don’t really know.
A: The way I’m processing it is — I’ve been here for 20 years …
J: Now I feel safe because now the police are here and I know if it happens again they’ll just find the guy.
HSV: Good, yeah. And the cops. We should about the cops, you know. The cops, for what they have to deal with, y’all, they do a pretty good job.
A: Yeah. And they upped the presence. I think that was the right thing to do. I heard — now we’ve gone a little bit off topic …
HSV: No, it’s totally okay.
A: The cops are a little bit — they had a big presence for a couple weeks there, which was the right decision.
HSV: With the big camper van, yeah.
A: I feel like they’ve tapered off a little bit, but also so has the business, you know, the trouble has sort of dialed down. I haven’t seen the same kind of glass window thing (breaking windows). I heard someone say that they’re now in Noe Valley, that they like moved.
R: Cuz this area is hot, became hot?
A: I just hope that the cops are on their toes and responding to this properly.
HSV: What I thought was beautiful about it was the way the community came together, like the street kids were watching out for each other.
A: Watching out, right?
R: True.
HSV: Right?
A: And if that stuff comes back I just hope that we respond in the right way.
Jude: I hope that we’re inside the house when it happens.
A: No, I just hope that — I don’t wanna be scared off my stoop. You know, back to what we’re doing, I mean I like hanging out on my stoop and holding down my corner and having Richard out front and playing baseball on the stoop and having the neighborhood walk by, you know?
R: That’s how we met you [to me].
HSV: I call it Mr. Rogers Neighborhood on acid …
R: Yeah!
A: I like being a presence in the neighborhood and I want everybody to know that we’re standing out front and playing baseball and drinking beer and listening to music.
HSV: It’s like the old days when you used to play baseball in the middle of the road, right? I mean that’s the way we grew up.
A: That’s the way it should be and I’m gonna do everything I can to make that a thing and not — I’m not gonna be scared off.
Like, I am quite a distance away from my 5-year-old daughter who’s playing over there [points] and she’s allowed to walk into that playground without me holding her hand. I want it to be like that and I’m gonna do everything I can to make that a thing.
HSV: Well, and they each other to play with each other as friends, too, your daughters, right?
R: Yes, they’re right over there.
A: Well, they’re not at the playground but … [laughter] They’re here and I don’t have to helicopter parent them. I always had that feeling really, that when Jude walked up and down Haight Street every day from the day he learned how to walk until the pandemic hit, really, so til he was 5, we walked up and down Haight to Gus’s every day. And at some point when he was 4 or something, I had a feeling — like all of the shop owners knew who he was, all the kids on the street knew who he was, dudes hangin on the corner.
HSV: The one who says, “HEYYYY!!!”
A: I had a strong feeling, they know him, they look out for him … if I could send him to Gus’s, I know the whole block would be like, “There’s … I know that boy.” I would give them space on the street, as soon as they could, I gave them the whole block, as soon as I knew they weren’t gonna run across the street. So I’d be a whole block away and a little kid walking up and down Haight Street, which I thought was kind of fun and cool, but maybe a little incongruous for the tourists. But the tourists, of course, would be like, “There’s a kid! Who’s kid is this?” And I’d kind of be like [raises hand cooly, casually] “I’m watching him” and they’d sort of apologize for being nosey or whatever. And I’d say, “Thank you for looking out.” That’s kind of what that test is all about: It was about can I send a really little kid up Haight Street and just watch from a little bit back and see what happens. It always turned out well.
HSV: Yeah.
[merchant, Peter, from Ceiba walks by]
You’re talking bad about Haight Street again, or what about Haight Street?
HSV: We’re live! Haight Street Voice!
A: I’m talking good about you, actually! I was saying I can walk up and down Haight Street and the shop owners all up and down the street know who we are, they know we walk the street, they know who my children are, and I know if any of those shop owners saw one of my kids they’d know who that is, they’d take responsibility as a community.
Peter: Yes. Right! That’s Haight Street for you.
HSV: Tell us your name and the name of your store cuz we’re recording.
Peter My name is Peter [thick accent and peace sign fingers]!
HSV: And your store is …
P: Ceiba [on his jacket]
HSV: And the number is?
P: 1364 Haight Street.
HSV: 1364 Haight Street y’all! Come check it out!
P: If you want fashion, there we are.
HSV: You are IT!
P: Even if you’re working out — in style [to his attire].
HSV: [laughter] Look at his outfit!
A: It’s art, man.
HSV: Do you dress these guys?
P: I have some amazing talented designers.
HSV: Yeah, you do.
We’re talking about being a father in the neighborhood …
R: About all the good things in the neighborhood.
P: I have a daughter in Switzerland.
HSV: Do you want to say hi to your daughter in Switzerland?
P: Hi to my daughter and to my 2 grandchildren. [waves to camera] See, that’s how old I am [to Andy and Richard]
HSV: We’re going international, guys!
P: [to Andy about no grand children] You’ve got to work a little bit on that!
A: I’ve done my bit. It’s his job now. He’s up next.
P: I’m sure. I would never question that.
Good talking to you guys, outside of Haight Street. Sometimes it’s nice to see the people outside of Haight Street.
ALL: Yeah!
HSV: Peace! Good to see you. [Peter walks away] …
A: He’s gotta be your next guy, his shop. [holds up a-okay sign language]
HSV: Great cuz I’ve never really talked to him before. I mean we wave to each other.
Jude: I’ve seen him before.
R: He’s been there for decades and decades.
A: That’s the example of what I’m talking about. It’s a very tight neighborhood.
R: It really is, yeah.
A: It feels very neighborhoodish. I mean, everybody who lives here knows that.
HSV: Yeah.
A: You start to know people.
HSV: It’s beautiful. It’s heartwarming. I get a little tear in my eye.
A: Yeah. Aside from the goofiness — that was an outside event [the shooting]. No, sorry, it’s called an “outlier”. That event, it feels very recent so it feels almost ridiculous for me to say how beautiful and safe our neighborhood is, because it’s so fresh and so painful what just happened. But it really was an outlying event. It was completely — nothing like that has ever happened in my existence here, so …
R: Yeah, nothing near that has ever happened.
A: So I’m just gonna put it aside and say “no”. This is absolutely a safe and neighborhood-y community.
R: What he just said is how I feel for sure. I haven’t allowed it to … I’m just living life like …
HSV: Well Sunshine who owns that tie-dye joint, she had a band out there I think it was the next day. It’s like all we can do is just come out here and represent love.
Both: Yes!
HSV: Show up. Good vibes. Not gonna let that scare us.
A: Alright. So I knew you were gonna ask, and I had to think about what is hard about living here.
HSV: That’s exactly right — as a dad.
A: Right. So you don’t even need to ask because I’ve been thinking about it cuz I knew this was coming, and I know what it is: There is definitely a one and important hard thing about being a dad in this neighborhood [Jude hugs him] and it is: outside space — unmonitored outside space. If we’re gonna go outside, I have to go. I can’t be just like, “Get out of here!” And everybody’s house here is small, right? That’s why you see us out here. That’s why we’re outside cuz we can’t be inside all day cuz our houses are small. We have to be outside. But Richard and I can’t just say, “Go outside!” Like, “Get out of my house, children!”
R: Don’t come back until the sun goes down. [laughs]
HSV: This is none of my business but I’ve never really seen either of you with — I’ve never eve seen your wives. Are there wives around? We don’t have to put this in, but I’m just wondering.
A: I have a wife around.
HSV: I just never see her.
A: We have different roles.
HSV: Working?
A: Exactly. So she’s the inside job. That’s her role, is to do all the inside stuff.
HSV: Cool.
A: I don’t email! [laughs] I mean maybe I do …
HSV: I love it!
A: … but not really.
HSV: Oh my god that’s beautiful.
A: I don’t have Venmo or whatever. It’s just not part of my role in my family. She does all that stuff, and I do [points to Jude] outside. She does inside, I do outside.
HSV: That’s rad. What about you, Richard? If it’s too personal, you don’t have to answer.
R: I’m a solo parent and I have full custody of this child.
HSV: Awesome.
R: Yeah. I’ve been doing this since she was an infant.
HSV: And for you, what’s the hardest thing. Kind of connected to Andy’s thing?
R: Kind of connected to that, that no matter where she goes, I have to go at this point. And being a single parent in a city like this, you know, if I need to go get milk or something, I try and do all that kind of stuff when she’s in school. So I’ve pretty much like, I’ve gotta get stuff done — [kids all run over]
HSV: Hi! [to kids]
A: You guys want to be part of the interview?
HSV: Can you guys say hello, just say hi?
KIDS [Reya, Izzy, and Jude]: Hi!!! [waving]
HSV: There you go! Now you’re not so shy! Can you introduce yourself cuz my camera wasn’t working, or I’m not sure. What’s your names?
Isabelle: Izzy!
Mireya: Hello!!!
HSV: And who’s the best Daddy in the universe for you?
Izzy: [points to Richard]
HSV: That one!
R: [bear hugs her] Awww!
HSV: And Jude, who’s your best Daddy? That one over there [pointing to Andy]. That guy?
Jude: Yeah!
[both little girls hug tight!]
HSV: And what do you like about living in the neighborhood, girlfriend? What do you like about living in the neighborhood?
Izzy: Uhhhhhh …
Reya: Kitties!
HSV: You mean, like kitty cats? There aren’t many cats out here right now?!
R: [laughs]
HSV: But what about the unicorns? Or horses [camera on horse on her shirt]
A: [to all 3 kids] What do you guys like about Haight Street?
R: Yeah, what do you like about living in our neighborhood, Izzy?
Izzy: Uhhhh …
A: Do you like all the parks and playgrounds?
HSV: Where we are right now?
R: Yeah, do you like that there’s playgrounds here?
[Izzy nods head yes] Blonde: Me too!
R: And there’s also Buena Vista park with the playground there …
ALL: Yeah!
Izzy: I like Buena Vista Park cuz it’s right near our house!
R: And what about Haight Street? Do you like Haight Street and all the interesting people that walk by?
[all nod yes]
HSV: And the dogs and the stores … and the unicorns and the rainbows?
Reya: YEAH!
R: And your school is nearby. Is there anything else you like? How about your neighbors, do you like your neighbors?
Reya: I like everything!
[laughter]
R: Do you like your neighbor?
Izzy: I like the whole entire world!
R: Okay!
HSV: Alright!
Reya: I like everything too!
HSV: Yeah! You like everything? You live on Central Street too?
Reya: [nods yes]
R: We live right next door to each other.
HSV: Can you reintroduce yourself too, please?
A: Say your name, Reya …
HSV: Just say your name!
Reya: I’m Reya!
HSV: Yeah! Okay, there we go!
Jude: Her real name is Mireya but she goes by Reya.
HSV: So if you want to say something to the neighborhood, like a big blowhard, what would you guys like to say to everybody? Like you can look at the camera and say “Hello!”
Reya: Hello!!!
A: How about this: What are your favorite stores in the neighborhood, kids?
HSV: There you go, good question! Do you like Gus’s Market?
Izzy: Oooh, Gus’s Market!
HSV: Yeah, we love Gus’s Market.
Reya: Chocolate everywhere!
HSV: Chocolate everywhere …
R: What about the arcade place?
HSV: Oh yeah!
Jude: Yeah!
R: Gold Watch … is that it?
HSV: Free Gold Watch! Yeah, they’re in my last magazine! I interviewed them. They’re great.
Jude: I like Free Gold Watch Arcade and I also like Escape from New York Pizza.
HSV: Oh cool! Good shoutout! Thank you!
R: Yeah!
HSV: That’s a good plug right there, man!
A: Yep!
HSV: So Richard, what’s your favorite part on Haight Street? What do you like? Do you end up at Amoeba Records or do you end up — do you ever down to the Lower Haight? We should probably address that. We pretty much don’t go down that way, sadly.
A: I mean, back in the day, when I was like … in the old days, I’d spend a lot of time at …
HSV: Toronado …
A: Toronado and Rosamunde and all that fun stuff.
R: Yeah, so …
A: I think the Noc-Noc was the first bar I ever went to when I had a fake I.D. [laughter]
R: Yeah, so more recently, I don’t go there really for anything, but same thing: I use to go to Rosamunde, I used to go to Toronado, Molotov’s … uh, what’s that’s breakfast spot?
HSV: Kate’s …
A: Kate’s Kitchen, yeah!
R: Kate’s Kitchen. I used to go to Indian Oven.
A: International Cafe …
R: International … so many great …
HSV: Mad Dog in the Fog …
R: Mad Dog in the Fog. But now, I don’t ..
A: This was funny; the other day — we order Escape from New York Pizza on Friday for movie nights pretty regularly …
HSV: Right.
A: And the guy on the phone during the pandemic because I’d been calling him a lot, every week, he says, “You’ve been comin’ here for awhile, huh?” And then I said, “You know what, man? I don’t think I’ve gone more than a month eating Escape from New York Pizza since 1994.” I think that I’ve probably had — or at least since 1997 — I bet I haven’t gone more than a month without eating Escape from New York Pizza since 1997.
HSV: [laughter] What about you Richard? What’s your favorite eatery around here? Brioche is pretty good, with the backyard. I don’t know if you’ve been there — the new, used to be Sparrow?
A: Sitting down in a restaurant is hard. [alluding to kids]
HSV: Oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it
A: Cuz, you know, we don’t sit down at restaurants much [laughs].
R: Well, I’m a Mexican food type of guy, or burrito guy, so I’ve probably eaten more burritos. So I go to, uh — I used to go to Zona Rosa [now closed] but now it’s …
HSV: El Rancho Grande is my fave.
R: Yeah. I go to Street Taco.
HSV: Street Taco, yeah.
R: But I also go down to …
A: TLC, Little Chihuahua.
HSV: Oh yeah! I love that joint.
R: Little Chihuahua on Divis, but that’s more “central” Haight-ish.
HSV: Now what do you think the neighborhood could use? For me, I feel like we need … Deluxe is great — well you guys probably don’t go out to see music much.
A: But Deluxe!
R: I love the Deluxe.
A: Yeah, live music. You know, Richards a live music kind of guy.
R: Yeah.
HSV: Oh cool.
A: He’s been doing live music — I would say that live music is what is the driving force …
R: [laughs] … of my life, yeah.
A: What has driven all of your decision making, that and something else that we’re not gonna say. But in general, music is the driving force.
R: But the start of that, honestly, I was at … the first show I ever went to, my older sister went to see Queen and I was 11 years old, and Freddie Mercury was belting out and the whole crowd was stomping and clapping and it was really loud, and the lights … and I was like, “Why would anyone on earth do anything other than music?” So then my whole life I’ve worked around music and worked in nightclubs and all that.
HSV: Oh we’ve been around each other … the IBeam …
R: I used to work at the IBeam.
A: Yeah, Richard tells me all about the iBeam.
HSV: So did Jimmy Siegel who owns Distractions.
R: Yeah, you mentioned that.
HSV: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
R: I bartended there.
HSV: Fuck yeah — pardon my French.
A: He’s always telling all the old stories about the bands that came through.
HSV: Oh man, I saw the Sex Pistols at Winterland. We talked about that.
R: Yeah, yeah! Yeah, Primus used to play at the IBeam often …
HSV: I’m trying to get Les Claypool on the next cover actually.
A: Oh man! Les Claypool! [throws hands up in the air]
HSV: Alright! Get Les Claypool and you guys are the featured dads?! What do you think?
R: I hung out with him one time up in Sacramento at the Cattle Club.
A: Before we move away from talking about Haight Street [holds up beer: Magnolia’s Narrow Universe].
HSV: Do I get to try one of these?
A: This is the last one, sorry. I drank ‘em all.
HSV: That’s alright. I haven’t even seen that. Oh, it’s Magnolia!
A: That’s the beer to drink, guys. Like this is the best.
HSV: That’s the plug, right there.
R: Yeah.
A: That’s the beer of choice.
HSV: Thank you.
R: I used to go to Nightbreak, and then Murio’s, and then the Red Vic actually used to have stuff going on.
HSV: I missed the movies going on, with the popcorn with the yeast on it, remember that?
A: Yeah, I’m from Humboldt, so … !
R: And it used to be that every single night of the week you could see a band. Like 7 days a week you could see a band on Haight Street or of course like the Paradise Lounge or the Oasis or the DNA Lounge or Slims.
HSV: Oh yeah, I was at all of those. Mabuhay Gardens.
R: In San Francisco, you could see a band 7 days a week. It was incredible.
HSV: The Independent I have to say does a pretty good job at keeping it cool.
A: The Independent does a good job.
R: Yeah.
HSV: It’s right there, you know. The Fillmore is great, but it’s a little bit …
A: My current boss at my work and I’m a high school teacher, and this guy — the principal — is in a band who plays at Madrone, in fact they’re playing over there today.
HSV: Another great venue.
A: Yeah. Every first Sunday of the month.
HSV: What his name, a little shoutout?
A: His name is Mark [?]. I believe his band’s name is called Pine Box Boys. Or at least that’s one of his bands.
HSV: Like bluegrassy?
A: It has a little bit of that going on I think …
HSV: A little shoutout to Madrone, we love Madrone.
R: I love Madrone. It’s a great spot.
HSV: I know all the bartenders there. Libby’s great. Chris Libby is awesome.
HSV: So if you want to say something to the neighborhood — sorry we missed the first part but this is good too. We didn’t miss it all — what would you like to say to the people of the neighborhood? It’s called “hyper-local with a global perspective”. So you’re speaking to this community in particular, but it’s communities all over the world. What would you like to say?
A: Stay weird. And if you don’t know anything about that, come over hear and learn a little bit about it! I actually told somebody at a bar the other day, I was like, “It’s weird out there, and that is by design, that’s the point, that’s why you’re here.” Come and learn how to do that the right way, with love.
R: So I support what he said, and I would say talk to your neighbors. Communicate with the people that live in your community. And just make those connections.
HSV: Yes! And because this is probably going to live on forever, this thing, when I put it on YouTube, this “dads in the neighborhood”, what would you like to say to your future kids when they’re grown up and they get to see this video, y’all?
A: [nodding head and grinning]: Remember all the hustle, because you never went outside for your whole life without me [laughter all around], you know, facilitating that. This was not easy. Despite how we make it look.
HSV: [to Jude]: What would you like to say to your Dad on camera?
Jude: Um …
HSV: It’s to your Dad — you can just look at the camera. You could look at your Dad too if you want, but look at the camera and tell me what you want to say to your Pops. You could just say you love him or whatever …
Jude: [bouncing rubber ball]: He’s the best dad ever!
HSV: A and R: Awww. [to Izzy and Reya and Jude] Can you guys say goodbye to the camera? Says bye bye?
Izzy: Bye bye!
HSV: [to Reya] Say bye!
Reya: BYE BYE!!!!
[A & R hold up peace signs]: Bye bye!
HSV: Bye! Peace! We love you guys! This is awesome! I’m comin’ out here every Sunday! This is fun!
R: It’s really fun!
A: It is fun!
HSV: I don’t have a kid. I’ll just grab a kid and come on out!
A: Yeah! Join us at the stoop parties.
HSV: I’m so in!
R: You always see us on the stoop …
HSV: I know but I’m always going on my power walk, I don’t wanna bug you, you know what I mean? I don’t wanna just be like, “HI!”
R: Fridays is the most consistent thing you’ll find in the ‘hood.
HSV: What time on Friday?
A: Yeah, find us on the stoops Fridays at 4 o’clock. Fridays 4 to 6.
R: There’s other days too but Fridays are the most consistent.
HSV: Okay, I’m in! Okay, alright. Now you’re gonna get everybody in the Haight gonna start showing up at your house!!! [laughter all around!!!]
R: Oh yeah! [laughing]
HSV: Okay, we’ll edit that part out. [laughing]. Alright, love y’all!
PART 2:
HSV: That leads me to my next question to both of you which is how old were you when you became a dad officially, and was there a feeling … this is probably why I never had kids. I love kids, but I’ve always known I can barely get myself out of the house, you know what I mean?
A: It’s SO hard [laughs].
HSV: So when you find out you’re pregnant and you’re gonna have a baby, is it scary as shit? I mean is it …
A: Yes!
HSV: Did you feel like, “I’m never gonna have fun anymore.” This is just honest talk.
A: I have something funny to say about that. I did it on purpose with my wife. It was calculated. But I had no real — you can’t know how hard it is. You just can’t know.
HSV: I mean I have a cat.
A: No, it’s not like that.
R: But that is a true thing. The human brain doesn’t comprehend it.
A: No, you can’t know.
R: Even if everyone around you tells you. Andy had a kid before me, he had Jude.
A: And when I found out Richard was gonna have a kid I was like, “Oh boy …” like, “Get fuckin’ ready, dude.”
R: We’re probably about 6 months into the pregnancy, and Andy goes, “You know you’re screwed. You’re never gonna get any sleep …”
A: You’re never gonna sleep again.
R: You’re never gonna sleep and your life is pretty much a wrap, you know? And I was just like, haha, that’s so funny. And my older brother said, “You know you’re done?”
A: Because he’s living this life that’s free, a free life.
R: It’s what I’d always done, so I was like, “Whatever. This is gonna be —he like I have a dog, what’s the difference? He’s fine. My dog’s doin’ great” you know?
But your brain as a human, I think we’re probably built that cuz otherwise we wouldn’t have kids probably, you know? So in my brain I was like, “Ah, this is a piece of cake, whatever.” And then it happened and I was like … didn’t sleep for years, my eyes are bloodshot, and, you know … [laughter]
A: It’s true. It’s so hard.
R: Yeah. It’s true! It’s true though. [laughter all around]
PART 3
A: I thought it up and then I realized afterward that this is the best advice ever — so this is my advice to everyone with that question: 2 things: First, do it on purpose because it is WAY harder than you think.
HSV: Okay, that was one.
A: Number 2, it is exactly as rewarding as it is hard. It’s like an even balance sheet, so people that don’t have kids, they are having this much fun [hand way up], they’re this much more fun than we’re having but they don’t get this [Jude next to him], you know? But when you have kids, all of that is beautiful. It is exactly as beautiful as it is hard. And I think that that is totally true.
HSV: Beautifully spoken.
A: It is as beautiful as it is hard — and it is as hard as it is beautiful.
R: Yeah.
HSV: Ah, so eloquent.
R: I always say it’s the best thing I’ve ever done and the hardest thing I’ve ever done. They would be equal for sure. It’s the best and hardest thing I’ve ever done.
HSV: Let me as you this: While you were talking Andy … so you’re a high school teacher, what grade?
A: That’s right, right? [talking to woman across the way] I got an amen over here … It is exactly as beautiful as it is hard.
Woman: Totally agree.
HSV: I have a magazine, it’s for the neighborhood…
W: Yeah, talk to those guys, they got it, yeah!
A: We know what we’re doin! [laughing]
R: Yeah!
HSV: We’re gonna get you guys famous. You’re gonna go viral. Viral dads, like the Cheech and Chong of dads.
R: [laughs] Cheech and Chong of dads. That’s a good one.
A: I can do that too. All those things!
R: But it is far far far than I imagined. My brain couldn’t comprehend that.
