Sunday, June 18, 2006

Today Is Father's Day

Today is Father's Day so I should write about how I loved my Daddy.  He was a good provider & worked really hard, altho' he was out of town alot on business.  (Or so he said...)  Also he didn't communicate much, being a quiet type of guy, he prefered reading, listening to classical music, & photography.  So actually he was often like a vapor.  He never paid any attention to my mother, which I now recognize was his power trip with her since she was so very difficult.  Whereas she screamed at the top of her lungs like a banshee when she'd get pissed off (which was all the time,) he was quite the opposite, very even tempered & calm.  Aloof actually. 

I found a way to get to him, tho' - to get his attention, & THAT was to be his photography subject.  So I grew up in front of his camera & my life is chronicled in wonderful slides (remember those?) from the day they brought me home from the adoption agency until I left at 21 & struck out on my own in NYC!   

More than that, tho' - I amused him & he found me rather adorable.  When I'd come into the room his eyes would soften & a sweet smile would start to spread across his face.  Not a lecherous smile, just a pleasant, loving glance up from his nightly newspaper.  He enjoyed me more often than naught. 

When I was little I would run to jump into his arms.  I could barely stand it when he could no longer lift me up around 4 yrs old.  He was a short man & I had become too heavy. 

One Valentine's Day Daddy died at the young age of 68.  I remember the last time I saw him that year.  He was dropping me off at an airport in California & he leaned across the front seat to hug me goodbye.  It became a long, lingering (for him, as he was Not demonstrative) hug where a cop banged on his car window for him to hurry along.  My father was mad & said something like "oh damn him,"...  I think he knew it may be the last time we'd see each other.  I kissed his cheek & jumped out of the car saying, " bye Daddy, thanks I love you,"  he said "I love you too," & smiled a sweet, yet wistful smile.. I slammed the door & merrily rolled my suitcase into the terminal looking forward to getting back to my world in NYC.  Little did I know I'd never see him alive again. 

I miss my little ole' Daddy, he was SO smart & very successful in business.  I talk to him a lot & thank him for all he & Mother did for me.  There are things I could say about him that were not so great.  But I prefer to speak about the goodness of his heart from the goodness of mine.  I loved my Daddy! 

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like he was a wonderful man. :)

Anonymous said...

How wonderful to have those good memories...he must have been a good man.
I'm glad for that.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely tribute.  I believe I could learn a thing or two from you.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you have nice memories of your dad; he sounds lovely.

Deborah

Anonymous said...

What a sweet post about your dad and a nice tribute to him on father's day. ~elizabeth

Anonymous said...

i stopped by to read and I tell you it sounds like something in a book. you know that books where the loved one knows he's going to be leaving and he holds on with a good bye hug or look? It sounds very much like that.

I've sent you a few emails. Now I know why I haven't heard from you. AOL is so crappy I mean to tell ya. The other day the AGAIN accused me of sending spam to myself so they locked me out of my own dang on account for 24 hours. How can I spam myself? But I got a nice big warning or alter window that popped up and told me I was blocked for 24 hours. I'm tellin' you, AOL can go to H-E-L-L.
I can send you an invite to a G-mail account if you want.

fly high
Aussie

www.sundripjournals.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

That is so sweet.  My daddy was far from perfect.  But I love him perfectly.  (((((hugs)))))