My old man

.... loved his family very much smoked
Raleigh cigarettes
had polio so he had a left shoe that was enormous
could get really mad and yell... then go bake cupcakes and cookies to say he was sorry
ate pickled pigs feet while watching Star Trek
Love Mitch Miller and bagpipes
ran a paint store and then sold advertising
would futz around making stuff in the basement until he cut off parts of two fingers and mom sold his table saw
loved telling corny jokes, the cornier the better
loved watching his sons play HS sports
went to church on a weekly basis and was very active in church, but never argued when all his kids stopped
won WWII (drafted despite the polio.he was an artillery gunner cause he couldn't march) all by himself
thought Walter Cronkite was the most honest man in America
raised, at turns, pigeons, pheasants, parakeets,finches...always was a birdbrain
loved classical music...though he didn't know much about it.... played it constantly
was a generous even when he had little
when I was little told me that Jews were people that went to a different church, "no different than Methodists"
Was in total control of Christmas.....the more lights, ribbons, bows,packages,carols... the better
would get a little tipsy on New Year's Eve and call his old army buddy... every year
called most sundays to tell me it was hotter,colder,rainier, snowier,sunnier,gustier, where he was than where I was
Liked Brandy Old Fashioneds
read my comic books, but not my Mad magazines
Shared my passion for Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs,but thought Buck Rodgers was greater than Flash Gordon
had broken his left leg about 18 times in ten different places (polio again)
couldn't throw a football for shit
got really pissed off at me once when I came home from school early and found him and mom having a 'nooner'
used to give me a silver dollar on my birthday
thought gardening was the most manly thing you could do...loved flowers
told me once my pot plant needed a bigger pot
positively could not get enough time to spend with his grandchildren... and the only time I saw him cry was when Nick died at only two years old
was embarrassed to no end when he walked in on me,at my college apartment,and caught me and a girlfriend having a 'nooner'
gave me passion for gummy candy
loved Western movies
told me his appendectomy scar was a 'bayonet' wound... and I believed him
thought Viet Nam was a 'just' war... and would argue it with me... and when I got drafted found all the documentation on my rheumatic fever, fucked up ankles... and everything else he could think of to flunk the physical ( I did..but that is another story)
Almost died from Pride when I brought the college debate team to his house after a tournament in LaCrosse
also liked pickled herring, pickled beets,pickled eggs,pickled turkey gizzards.... but did not like pickels
he....... was........ STUFF
and
I
Miss HIM tremendously......
have a great day, Eugeneio