Damn you to hell!
Is Father's Day one of your brilliant ideas? Like Valentine's Day, it picks on those who don't really have someone to say I love you too. I know what your intention is, but, man, you really know how to put a hurtin' on people who have lost their dads.
Okay, so I'm taking a positive and turning it into a negative, right? Yeah I know. But I can't really help it. There are so many people out there that probably feel the same way I do. I guess I got lucky because there are so many people that also never had a dad, father or step-father to learn from. While Father's Day is bittersweet for me, having lost my dad to cancer eight years ago, it also takes on a separate meaning for me now, being a stepdad myself.
My dad (he was actually my stepdad, but I like to call him my dad) was the one that drove me to work so I could earn money to pay for my first car and the insurance to go along with it. I'm sure having to get up at 7 am on weekends to drive me to and from work was really a joy for him, but he did it regardless. He would haul my ass back and forth from college every year too, with his trailer in tow, and was always there when I needed him. He did it out of love, not obligation. Okay, there was a little bit of obligation! He was also the one that drove me to my football, baseball, wrestling, track, and basketball practices and games. When the time came, the man taught me how to drive a stick too. I'm sure my access to a car lifted a huge burden off his shoulders! However, the biggest lesson he taught me was that life is worth living and that love sees no boundaries. He truly was a renaissance man. I think Father's Day means so much more now that he's physically absent. It is very true that sometimes you just don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.
My Father's Day was spent with the wifey and two of the boys at one of our favorite watering holes, the Rock Creek Tavern. Not feeling too hot about the day to start, I was revived by the gift I received. Wifey and the boys gave me a little bound booklet, full of pictures taken over the years, some of the boys, some of me, some of the wife and I and some of our doggie, Tomo. It really made my eyes well up to see the effort put into creating this booklet. It sure beats the hell out of a tie or a golf shirt or something predictable. Nope. This gift hit the ball out of the park. It moved me. It made me realize that it doesn't have to be as bad as it may seem.
I went to the cemetery and put some flowers on my dad's grave later in the day. I hadn't been there in a while, not out of neglect, but just because the grave is more of a symbol to me. I don't necessarily need the symbol to remind me, because I'm reminded every day. Plus, in the bible, there is a passage somewhere that says, "don't come to my grave, for I will not be there," or something of that nature. I think it was the bible...maybe it was just some old adage or proverb. Regardless, the meaning is understood. I don't need to go to a physical site to be reminded of all the things my dad did for me.
I finished up my Father's Day with a gig at the Sapphire Hotel. It's a cool joint with a good vibe, great food, and Stella on tap. Any place that has Stella on tap is definitely worth frequenting! We were cramped in there, but we pulled it off. It was a great ending to a day that started off with questions and doubts. I love making music and to end the day doing just that, it was truly a blessing. We had a good time playing, which is the whole point of making music. One of these days perhaps I can quit my day job of selling trade show booths online.
Nawww, I don't think so.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The UnderCovers.
1 comment:
Not bad doobie, I like your blogs.
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