Today is Father’s Day. That means I get to tell you about my amazing dad, wahoo!
Where do I begin? Do I simply tell you he’s a great guy? You know that. Do I simply tell you he’s fun to hang out with? You should, you would love it! Do I simply tell you he’s a good friend? He is. Do I simply tell you he’s the best father and grandfather EVER? Just ask me, GES, MGS and EJS and we will tell you, emphatically and without hesitation, YES, YES and H-E [double hockey sticks] YES!
It all started almost 44 years ago when this little person came into DWS’ life that would change him from being just an all around good guy and out of this world husband, he became a dad. The first, and most important thing he did was to give me a name. I was supposed to be a boy, Joshua Alec, I like it. Tonya, just in case I was a girl, let me just say, ick, nothing personal against Tonya’s, but could you see me as a Tonya? Nope, me neither! JRS, that’s what I would be called! [ooh, you know my initials, you just thought I was plain ‘ole JJ]. And let me tell you, every father’s day, I am sure to thank him for naming me because my name fits me just right.
As soon as I was born, I was a daddy’s girl and things have not changed, for my sister or myself. No matter how old we get or independent or sure of ourselves or whatever else I can think of, we will always be daddy’s girls. I don’t know what all daddy’s are supposed to do, but I’ll tell you about ours.
Daddy’s are there to kiss boo-boos, wipe off scraped knees, teach me how to ride a bike, take to fast food restaurants when mom is not home, share secrets with, share stories with, laugh at the same stuff in movies, practice driving with, stand up to the gym teacher when I’m in fourth grade because he said girls couldn’t play softball, we had to play kickball, guess how long that lasted! Stand up to my kindergarten teacher when she whined about me sitting on my knees in class “Do you let her sit on her knees at home?” “Yes we do!”
At birthday parties, he was the one whipping the snake of kids around the skating rink, yes, I said skating rink, that’s how we celebrated birthdays in the olden days! Now for birthdays, we get amazing works of art, he is so talented! Piano, guitar, mandolin, oils, acrylics, guache, water color, Chinese calligraphy, if there is something new to try with a brush, he’ll do it.
Take me to the art museums in high school to help me with some projects. Go to the art museums today and look at the modern art in the exact same way, with our heads cocked to one side saying “huh” or “that’s an interesting installation” only to find it’s actually ‘insulation’ that they had out because they were doing some repairs! We do have similar style when it comes to museums, look, read a few descriptions, keep moving. We have favorite artists and time periods that we love and I absolutely adore going to museums with him to discuss paintings because his knowledge base is fascinating!
He introduced me to my love of opera, sharing his love and opening up a whole new world to me. Outdoor concerts, both classical and rock-n-roll, everything from the 1950’s has meaning…introducing me to some crazy music and I introduced him to a slew of comedians and now he can’t get enough!
Someone to teach me to play craps and marvel at all he does. Someone who said, when the you-know-what hit the fan, “come home, I’ll take care of you, you don’t have to go through any of this alone”. Someone who was always my champion and strongest defender and biggest shoulder to cry on, who never judges, might ask some questions, but never judges. I bought a truck once, his question, “what color is it?”.
He loves to try out new technology on me, when we’re driving to the same place in separate cars, he calls me to make sure I know where I’m going.
He lifts me up when I’m feeling down, pulls me in close when I need a hug and just listens when he knows I don’t want to talk. He makes me laugh and think about things, he has the best and sometimes twisted sense of humor! When I hear a new joke, he’s the first one I call to tell. Does your dad tell you dirty jokes? Mine does!
Not only is he a good dad to me and my sister and become a father to my brother-in-law, but what an amazing grandfather he is to EJS and MGS. And what an affection LaLa’s grandkids have for him! And all my sister’s friends kids, remember how they all call me Auntie J? He’s Poppa D to everyone, what a title. He always says if he knew grandkids were this much fun he would have done this first!
After my mom was gone, he became one of my best friends, someone I value above all else, his friendship and love I hold sacred because he gives them so freely and fiercely. I talk to my dad every day and I feel weird when I don’t talk to him! Sometimes it’s about something, sometimes nothing, we have become confidants. I talk to my dad every day, not because I have to, but because I want to.
I don’t now where I would be without my dad and I don’t want to.
For those of you celebrating today, I wish you a Happy Father’s Day. To my daddy, DWS, Happy Father’s Day and THANK YOU FOR MY NAME!
“Any man can be a father, it takes a special man to be a daddy” I love you Daddy! XOXO
Peaches Prattlings 