I love you. I'm broke.

A great Father's Day article from one of my favorite reporters to work with:

Dearest Dad,

You know I love you. I really do. But don't expect much from me this Father's Day.

I'm broke. Not so broke that I'm eating ramen and putting my Fender guitar on eBay (Never!), but I'm definitely feeling the economic squeeze. So this June 15, I'm trimming $3.80 from your gift.

Please, don't be hurt. That's the average amount by which the National Retail Federation, a trade group, expects consumers to reduce Father's Day spending, to $94.54 this year from $98.34 last year.

See, Dad? Everybody's doing it.

Read the rest here.