Dad's Day 2005

Today is Father’s Day, a day set aside to give Dad some really tacky ties or a large industrial sized bottle of Old Spice. It’s nice that Dad’s have one day of the year where they’re the stars – often times credit is given to Mom first, which while important, always seems to leave dear Daddy-o out in the cold.

My Dad died 8 years ago. I miss him a whole lot, but I still feel his presence around me. I used to dream about him quite a bit, but not so much anymore. But he’s still a big part of my life, and I’ll always remember him for his sense of humor, his laugh, his ability to catch a fish when nobody else could, his occasional lucky streak, and his Saturday morning breakfasts. Potatoes (“square fries”, as my sister and I called them), eggs, bacon, lots of toast, and homemade jam. There was nothing else quite like those breakfasts.

I try to be the best Dad that I can to Miss Katie, and for the most part I think I’ve succeeded. Sure, she’s not the best student in the world, and her room really is a pit most of the time, but overall, she’s a good kid and I wouldn’t trade her in for anyone else. I was a single parent to her for a long time before The Lovely Mrs. G. came back into my life, and Miss Katie and I have always been really close. I remember when she was little how she liked to sit in her rocker/swing and smile while I sang to her. I was usually singing ABC songs (the band, not the alphabet – this was the 80’s, after all), and she’d laugh and smile at me. Ah, those were the days.

So happy Father’s Day to all you daddies out there. Be nice to your kids and your Missus, and try not to slop breakfast on your new tie.