Blog 2429 – 06.19.2022

Father’s Day Memories

As boys in the nineteen-fifties the gift my younger brother Robert and I usually got for our dad on Father’s Day was Old Spice aftershave. Dad shaved every morning before leaving for work and splashed on his Father’s Day gift from his boys. He said he liked to rest his face on Sundays and I remember as a small boy he would rub his scratchy stubble on our cheeks affectionately. We loved our dad, scratchy face and all.

My daughter Emily made me a dad upon her arrival on July 15th 1980 and I am glad and grateful that I got to share thirty-two Father’s Days with her before she passed away just five days after her thirty-second birthday. I do so miss her Father’s Day mixed CD’s and still play songs from the ones she gave me.

When my daughter was almost ten my son Jonathan was born and so for almost twenty-two years I had two children wishing me happy Father’s Day. I got a text a few days ago saying that Jon and his lovely wife Lauren would be coming by today. It is always a joy to see them both and if Father’s Day is just an excuse for them to come by, I am glad and grateful nevertheless.

My dad has been gone twenty-five Father’s Days and I still miss him. I have his shaving mug, with it’s Old Spice emblem sitting out to remind me of him. I also received a few bottles of Old Spice from my children when they were small. Boss Hugo Boss is my preferred scent.

Just getting to see my son will be Father’s Day gift enough. My lovely and loving wife Linda has a card for me and made me swear not to open it before the day. I said I would wait till one minute after midnight. That made her smile. Her smile that still takes my breath away. I will, of course, wait to open it so she can see me smiling back at her too.

Happy Father’s Day, everyone.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Oqrvu0BTqB6Hi-SE-2NRbaUiFlRUxN_t/view?usp=drivesdk

My Father