My mother passed away and I see my father about once every month or so. My father is generally pretty surprised with what I end up getting myself involved with anyway so I figured I'd not have much of a problem pulling this off.

I was invited to a extended-family gathering on Fathers' Day this year and my aunt who invited me I never got around to calling back. I had lost her phone number. Either way, I ended up recently booking a flight to San Francisco to partake in the Journey To The End Of The Night and figured this would be an opportune time to complete the CIA task. I emailed my father to set the stage. I said that I had lost the phone number for my aunt - as I needed to tell her that I'll be out of town that weekend in San Francisco.

I called my sister and explained everything, so she's in on the truth of it all. She thought the idea of SF0 was cool and found it hilarious that I was going to pull this off. I told her not to tell anyone about it, but explained that he might ask her about it on Fathers' Day.

Today I met my father, uncle and grandfather for golf. I haven't played golf in years and I was pleased to find out I don't suck too much more than they do. It was a lot of fun though. I was waiting for my father to ask me what I was doing in San Francisco and finally he brought it up on the 7th hole. My grandfather was within an earshot and I slowly muttered... "I'm.... visiting... with friends." After I was done putting I walked back with him and I quietly told him that I'm actually going down there because I'm joining the CIA. He initially asked if I was bullshitting him but I said that's why I'm going and I need to keep it relatively quiet. I explained that my sister was the only one I've told about this.

He asked if I was moving, and I said that because of the type of position I'll still be able to be in Minneapolis but I might travel a lot. He asked about my current job, and I said that my employer doesn't know yet, but it's very likely that I'll be able to ghost there.

After our round of golf we went out to dinner and he was clearly very curious but didn't say anything in front of my uncle and grandfather. Afterwards he made it convenient to walk back alone with me and asked me further questions. I explained that I'll be working on Sierra Foxtrot Zero which is relatively not very public and I would be working collaboratively with others, sometimes remotely. I'd be doing a lot of research too. I said that I likely won't do much clandestine work and I added that it had "nothing to do with Homeland Security" (my father works in defense but is very much against our current administration so I had to add that). I told him I wasn't sure how long I'd be working on Sierra Foxtrot Zero, but it would probably be for awhile. He is clear that it is CIA project and the only thing I'll be doing for the CIA.

Fast forward to Fathers' Day.... I'm sure he'll be asking my sister. Being she knows the same information I told my father and is "in" on this, it will certainly solidify everything. I told him rather specifically that I've only told him and my sister, he knows he's supposed to keep it secret, but I wasn't strong about it - so he might end up secretly telling his brother or my grandparents.

This comes the best part: I'm pretty sure that my father's side of the family will all end up finding out that I'm secretly working for the CIA. It'll probably be a while from now before a cousin or someone has the balls to admit that they know about my secret employment and ask me if it's true when they know they're not supposed to know about it at all.

What should I tell them if they ask? Heh. Or maybe I'm getting myself into a lot of trouble with my father's side of the family. Yikes. Either way... the task is completed and I didn't turn around at the end.