The Ark

Whatever floats your boat...

My dad was a bit of a prankster and he loved a good joke. Most of the jokes he told aren't appropriate in polite company. He was, after all, a sailor. But he was always up to something. One day, he came home from work, and as was his custom, went straight to his room to change his clothes. I didn't think much of it because he always did that. After a bit, my mom followed him and then a couple minutes longer, I was summoned. 

As I walked down the hall, I could hear my mom grousing but I didn't know about what and I was pretty sure I was in trouble for something. As I peeked into the room there was my dad. My mom was standing near the door with her mouth covered so she wouldn't laugh - My dad, on the other side of the room, was wearing his brand new Navy Issue, FREE, black plastic prescription glasses. The square ones that everyone wore. He was also wearing his t-shirt, wrong side out and backwards, a pair of gray sweat pants with a pair of VERY short jogging shorts OVER the sweat pants. To complete the ensemble, he was wearing some sandals with his Navy Issue Black socks. 

I stood there for a moment taking it all in when he said - "Wanna go out to eat? I got all dressed up for ya'." I stood there for another moment trying to determine whether he was kidding or not and then said, "No." I was as straight faced as he was - for about 3 seconds. Then, I couldn't hold it in any longer and Mom and I both just blew! I was laughing so hard I was crying. 

As it turns out, he had done a bit of shopping on the way home, stopped to pick up his new glasses and just decided to show me what he bought, much like I did whenever I got something new. 

Whenever we went shopping for school clothes or supplies or did any Christmas shopping or whatever, the first thing I would do would be to remove each treasure from the bag and show him. More often than not, if he was home and not gallivanting around the world on a ship, he would just go with us for the shopping. I think it was probably less painful than having to sit through the unveiling when we got home.

Q. How many pencil cases, lunch boxes and backpacks can you get excited about anyway?  

A. All of them.

Views: 66

Comment by JustAnotherUserName on June 13, 2012 at 9:12pm

Awwww....Dana, I really love these posts about your dad.  My dad was very career-oriented and not very interested in day-to-day kid stuff.  You're a lucky girl not only to have these memories, but to be generous enough to share them.  xo Ruth

Comment by Dana (scribblers sanctuary) on June 14, 2012 at 1:13am

Ruth - I'm so glad you enjoy them. It has been very cathartic for me to write about him. His passing (what does that mean, anyway?) was so sudden and unexpected. It really had not occurred to me that he would be gone so soon. Me lucky? I agree wholeheartedly. :c)

Comment by JustAnotherUserName on June 14, 2012 at 8:48am

I dislike the terms "passing" and "everything happens for a reason" and "now he's in a better place."  What possible reason could there be for a child to die after a disgusting fight with cancer.  And what better place for him than with his mother?!  That people actually say those things to me is just weird.  

It's the memories that sustain us survivors, and you have a great gift in being able to extract your favorites and write about them so eloquently.  Keep 'em coming xoxo

Comment by Pypermarru1 on June 20, 2012 at 4:26pm

LOL.  I love it.  I bet he looked dorky as hell.

Funny when you mention his Navy issued glasses.  We use to call them "BC" Glasses which meant "Birth Control" Glasses
The glasses issued to your father back in the day - those 50's style type - are the same glasses they issue today...ha.

 

I love that he took the time to look at all your new school stuff.  I can picture lill scribbler pulling assorted school supply from a bag, excited about each one - Adorable.

Comment by Dana (scribblers sanctuary) on June 20, 2012 at 11:55pm

Pyper - he was definitely an enthusiastic participant when it came to messin' around. I'm not sure how much he actually LIKED my lunch boxes and pencils and trapper keepers, but he liked that I liked them. I of course STILL love office supplies. :c)

Comment by NatureJunkie on June 29, 2012 at 1:23am

I remember feeling excited about new stuff I got at the beginning of the school year, especially the erasers. I loved sharpening the brand new pencils to a point. And I remember the first time my parents got me Bic pens, the clear type that all the cool kids had. (They had to have been on sale.) But my father would never, ever have even pretended to be excited with me. Your dad was a prince among men.

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