Tough Tony
My daddy. Would have been 80 today. He's been enjoying the Last Great Adventure since 2000.
What I miss:
- His soulful letters in my mailbox.
- He tucking a $50 bill in those letters. Sometimes.
- His construction of the tree house out back, and the swimming pool, and the cabin in Putnam.
- The tickle of his beard when he kissed you.
- His crackup comments. To my Mom, when the electric candle she placed in the window was our only Christmas decoration: "The carolers are outside, gathering around the bulb."
- Him waiting at the window of Albany Airport until my plane rolled away.
- He leaving me steak and near-beers and stoking the cabin's wood stove for me when I was out deer hunting and he was racing the dark back home to his chair and his book.
- His sticking with me when I insisted near beers would be best for him.
- Him saying "Panther piss," after sampling one.
- Laughs like the one he just gave me.
2 comments:
Just beautiful. It's clear that his spirit is alive in you and his flame burns on. He also sounds like the perfect guy to be "Ned's dad."
"Mr. Aiken (elderly near deaf neighbor)called and wants you to turn up the stereo, he can't hear it." to daughter 1
'Candyasses...you haven't even started yet." to older sons sentenced to picking marigolds on cold Sat morning
"I'm miles ahead of you boys' to son and college friend as he puffs his baccojuana blend at camp playing cards-shortly before he falls out of chair.
"How I marvel in his fucked up ways."
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