The 'Waiting for Dad' meme typically revolves around the relatable and often darkly humorous experience of a father being absent or preoccupied for an extended period. From the classic trope of a dad going to buy milk and never returning to the universal childhood experience of waiting for a father to finish a long conversation in a grocery store, this template uses imagery like skeletons or staring figures to emphasize time passing. It has become a staple in internet culture for expressing feelings of abandonment, patience, or simple childhood frustration, resonating with anyone who has ever felt 'left on read' by a parental figure.