Was at the park with my boy this morning.

There was a really scary looking Mexican dude there; huge, covered in gang tattoos from his scalp, his neck, chest and arms.

I'll admit to being a tad intimidated as a pudgy middle class white dude.

But our kids started playing together, and he was taking pics of his boy on the slide with his cell phone.

While our lifestyles may not be comparable, and I doubt I'd have coffee with this dude at the local diner, for a minute I felt a real, simple connection with another father.

Made my day.