Father's Day

I've written so much about my Dad that I figure that there's nothing left to write. But as long as I can remember I guess there'll be something to write about.

I remember the first time I saw him cry. I had to be around ten or so, because my sister was probably around 3 or 4. My sister was born with spina bifda and especially as a child was in and out of the hospitals. When she was born she was flown to Walter Reed in Maryland. I remember being in the kitchen when my Dad came home from the hospital, my sister was back in, she had a seizure and they were keeping her over night. He was telling my brother and me about my sister's seizure. He said her tongue swelled up and she was turning blue and than he couldn't go on...he was crying.

I remember he'd get so mad at my brother or me when we'd call my Mother "her or she", like if we said something like "she did..." He'd get mad and tell us that wasn't a her or she that was our Mother.

I remember when we were visiting his parents and sister up in Newark New Jersey. I was probably in my mid teens than. We were all talking and joking about something. I made a comment about his height, my Dad was a fairly short man, and he said "Just remember dynamite comes in small packages." Without missing a beat I replied "So does silly putty." And he laughed so hard.

I remember later, when my Mom and he were both retired and living down here. If my Mom went shopping he'd go with her, and while my Mom and sister were traveling through the stores in the Mall he would sit on a bench in the Mall reading a book, waiting for her.

I remember him never saying a bad word about his Father, even though years later, when my brother and I were old enough to understand we learned that his Father was an alcholic and would abuse him. But as kids we just knew he was our Grand Pa.

I remember him getting up early, like around six in the morning, all the time. Even after he was retired from work. He'd get up and make himself a cup of tea and go sit out on the porch and just watch the world wake up.

I remember as a kid sitting in the car with him as we went somewhere and asking him questions and thinking he knew the answer to everything.

Happy Father's Day Dad.