There's the commercial approach which is:
a card
a tie that will only be worn once, if at all
a shirt with a catchy phrase on it that he will wear with
pride when you are around
a hat
new fishing pole
hmmmm......
Yes, I got my daddy a special gift, one that he specifically asked for, but I'm not telling, because I know he is going to read this. What we ALL need to remember is that our dads have been giving to us their whole lives and I have my special memories to prove it! I know there are other people reading this, and you can all reminisce with us if you want, but Daddy, from here on down, it's just for you.
Daddy, these are the gifts that you have given to me:
Sitting on your shoulders so I could see a parade and going to the fireworks on the 4th of July at the little park at the edge of town.
Going carp fishing with you at the lake at the cemetery and thinking it was so cool that you used a bow an arrow to fish with! And walking around in that cemetery. I never looked at them as creepy places.
Camping! and camping in the rain because rain always, always found us, even if we were in a drought area!
My first attempt at homemade chili with about 50 too many pepper corns
A cocker spaniel named Taffy, a crazy boxer, a wire hair terrier named Brady, and of course Red Dog and Snuggles.
You and me babysitting for the baby bro and having to "de-stink" him and his room before mother got home!
Playing in the snow and you pulling me on my sled and snow so deep that the drifts were over the top of the fence. Making playdough rockets while we sat and watched tv in the house on Southern Blvd.
Fishing in the rain and you putting me in some weird smelling army green raincoat thing with a screen on the front of my face. I think you got it at the Army surplus or something.
Your repeated efforts trying to teach me how to bait a hook - I still use needle nosed pliers because I don't like to get the worm guts on my hands.
Fried boloney sandwiches with mustard!
Limburger cheese - still can't stand the stuff.
Eating smoked oysters straight out of the can with a pack of saltines and some mustard on the side
The Bratwurst Festival! and the Crawford County Fair!
Having to tell you in Kansas that I was going to have to go to the bathroom in Colorado so that you would be sure and stop. Driving through the Badlands, car troubles, fishing for trout with corn, Mount Rushmore, more camping in the rain and being in a 10x10 umbrella tent in the middle of tornado season on top of a hill in Cheyenne (and we can't leave out the part about watching the portable black and white tv and watching Neil Armstrong). Cheyenne Frontier Days.
An airplane ride with some crazy people in Florida, going on business trips with you and Mother and getting to see New York City and seeing Ben Hur at the theater in New York, King of Prussia, PA, real pizza and Shirley Temples in New York, Valley Forge, Monticello, sleeping on a pallet in the back of the station wagon and driving late into the night!
Learning how to drive stick shift and the stop light on Far Hills Ave.
The old blue station wagon with the slipping gears that had to be whacked back into place when we stopped.
Good Old Days and Good Old Memories!
The list is endless and I have them all saved forever in my internal scrapbook, but 3 really special memories are the look on your face when you walked me down the aisle 35 years ago, and the look on your face when you saw each of your grandchildren for the first time. All of my memories are special, but those 3 are priceless and I won't ever forget them.
Today is your day, and we are all going to party around a feast of hot dogs, hamburgers, bratwurst and all of the trimmings. But today is not about the food, or the presents or the fact that we're all in your living room. It is about you and the legacy of love that you have given each of us and that we are honored to receive. Most of all, Daddy, you gave me, your time, your attention, your devotion, your gratitude, your patience, your unconditional love and the best gift of all - you gave me You!
I love you, Daddy!
Kaye
