“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.”
This is from 2010: All I can add is how much I miss him still, each and every day. I cried a bit today filled as I am with memories of my Dad.
Father’s Day gives me the chance to use my whole posting to talk about my Dad. He was the funniest guy, mostly on purpose but lots of times by happenstance. We used to have Dad stories, all those times when we roared and he had no idea why. He used to laugh along with us and ask, “What did I say? What did I say?” We were usually laughing too hard to tell him.
I know you’ve heard this before, but it is one of my favorite Dad stories. He, my mom and I were in Portugal. I was driving. My dad was beside me. On the road, we had passed many piggyback tandem trucks, some several trucks long. On the back of the last truck was always the sign Vehiculo Longo. We came out of a gas station behind one of those. My father nonchalantly noted, “That guy Longo owns a lot of trucks.” I was laughing so hard I could barely drive and my mother was roaring.
My father wasn’t at all handy around the house. Putting up outside lights, he gave himself a shock which knocked him off his step ladder. He once sawed himself out of a tree by sitting on the wrong end of the limb. The bookcase he built in the cellar had two shelves, one on the floor and the other too high to use. He said it was lack of wood. When painting the house once, the ladder started to slide, but he stayed on his rung anyway with brush in hand. The stroke of the paint on the house followed the path of his fall. Lots of times he set his shoe or pant leg on fire when he was barbecuing. He was a big believer in lots of charcoal lighter fluid.
My father loved games, mostly cards. We played cribbage all the time, and I loved making fun of his loses, especially if I skunked him. When he won, it was superb playing. When I won, it was luck. I remember so many nights of all of us crowded the kitchen table playing cards, especially hi-lo jack. He loved to win and we loved lording it over him when he lost.
My father was a most successful businessman. He was hired to turn a company around and he did. He was personable and funny and remembered everyone’s names. Nobody turned him down.
My father always went out Sunday mornings for the paper and for donuts. He never remembered what kind of donut I like. His favorite was plain. He’d make Sunday breakfast when I visited: bacon, eggs and toast. I can still see him standing over the stove with a dish towel over his shoulders. He always put me in charge of the toast.
If I ever needed anything, I knew I could call my father. He was generous. When we went out to eat, he always wanted to pay and was indignant when we one upped him by setting it up ahead of time that one of us would pay. One Christmas he gave us all $500.oo, not as a gift but to buy gifts.
My father left us when he was far too young. It was sudden. He had a heart attack. I had spoken with him just the day before. It was pouring that day, and I told him how my dog Shauna was soaked. He loved that dog and told me to wipe his baby off. I still remember that whole conversation.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: family, Father, Father's Day, Parent, Portugal
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
June 19, 2011 at 11:45 am
You are very lucky to have had such a fun and caring father. Mine was a little more than a sperm donor who stayed around. The best way to describe my father was reluctant. I think he only had my sister and I because my mother wanted children. I remember him actually saying that a few times.
My mother passed away when I was 13 and he shipped my sister and I off to an aunt in New York. He would fly to New York and visited us every couple of months. He would only spend an evening or two with us during his visit while spending most of his time with his business associates. When we graduated High School he only wanted us to attend a college in a different city than where he lived. My dad liked the idea of fatherhood more than the actual job itself.
Later in his life, after each of us had married and had our own children, he tried to be a little more involved in his grand children’s lives. Maybe he realized how much he had missed with his own children. I think in his mind the definition of a father was a man who was a good monetary provider. This may have been a hold over from his growing up in the depression. He was good at that, but didn’t really excel at providing the love and emotional part of fatherhood. He has been gone for over five years and I really can’t say that I miss him. I only think about him on Father’s day and the anniversary of his passing.
June 19, 2011 at 10:31 pm
Bob,
We knew we were lucky, but it wasn’t always roses. My dad and I were poles apart politically, and that made for a few loud arguments. Luckily they dissipated quickly.
My mom and Dad and I traveled when I was an adult. I picked the place and they came all. They paid for the car, and I drove. We always had great times, and my dad and I played cribbage every night. They were fun trips.
My nephews were young when my dad died. The oldest was only 9 or 10. They remember him with great fondness, but I’m sorry they didn’t get to know him better.
June 19, 2011 at 1:10 pm
I do like to read those stories 🙂 But like Bobs father mine wasn´t anything like Yours. So I have never celebrated a fathers day in my life (I think we have fathers day in November or perhaps October)..
Have a great day!
Christer.
June 19, 2011 at 10:32 pm
Christer,
We always celebrated Father;s Day. Most times I’d get up there, and we sometimes had a barbecue or went out. We played cards, and though it might have been his day, I didn’t just let him win. He loved cards.
June 19, 2011 at 4:30 pm
I began Father’s Day my biking at Stoney Creek with Big Rick. I have been surrounded by my kids and my Grandson Ethan is onboard. I have been showered with cards (who doesn’t love a good monkey card) and thoughtful gifts.
I tried to tell them how much they all mean to me but I got tearful. I am truly blessed
June 19, 2011 at 10:33 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I always thought I was the one blessed with loving, fun parents. I figure your kids probably feel the same way. I know the little prince does about his grandfather.
June 19, 2011 at 6:46 pm
You might use this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfwlj0gba_k
Cheers
June 19, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Minicapt,
So very lovely!