Written for my dad - born February 28, 1928 and passed March 15, 2021 - far left, who put up with this motley crew and loved them in his own certain way, with memories that could fill a piece of prose, found below.
And so the sentiments are clear; the affirmation set
Knowing what we put out there is what we will ultimately get
Recalling glimmers of visuals out of the murky haze
Holding close to heart all of our previous nights and days
Dreams of the past and future, memories of a life
“The universe is perfect – it’s great to be alive”
Coming into focus, names of yore from so far back
George Coulton, George Hutchings, Norm Zauchin, Jerry Kanack
Ricky Smith, Dick Sullivan, John Tyson, Marc Reymont
Friends and family – what more could anyone really want?
History: born in Detroit, father James and mother Mary
Sisters Amy and Barbara, later came the military
A reluctant student of economics, still you passed the test
Then came the unlikely insurance – it even took you out west
But first came destiny, God’s good grace, fortune and luck
All from a stapler in a drawer … it was stuck
A vacation, the same weekend, taken together
A marriage – July 31, 1954 – that would last forever
1959 Redondo, 1962 Cambay Lane – following the road traveled less
Mary Lynn, Jimmy, Kathy, Emily, Monique, Emmett, Grace and Tess
Christmas mornings – waking up to half-eaten cookies on the hearth
Lawrence Welk, Hee Haw, Mary Tyler Moore, Carol Burnett and Bob Newhart
Slurpees, Jack in the Box balloons, McDonalds, Cocos, Carrows
Skinny Buffet, Apple Appeal, Jon’s, Tijuana Tacos, Sambos
Japanese Dear Park, Santa’s Village, Mt. Wilson, Jungleland
Sea World, Knott’s Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Wild Animal Park, Disneyland
All the places, every summer, in and out of traffic, where we’ve been
Familiar stories told over and over ... and over again
Meditation in the 70s, circle star one thousand and three … relax
Farmers Insurance, claims and fraud, each and every photostat
Coming home with boxes, angry at the ringing phone while “on call”
Concerned over sniper fire at the front door and protecting us all
JFK, Coast to Coast, Art Bell and mystic Dollee
Doing the picks, bags of scratch offs, the winning lottery
Prairie Home Companion, Celtic Thunder, cassette tapes, ON TV
Bowling balls, bags, leagues, tournaments and trophies
The carwash donuts, Black Panther fireworks, the “Family Pack”
Ragamuffin, Cosworth, Nicky, Rags, Fidrych, and Lucy the cat
Dan Meade over for football, the Miracle on Manchester game
The Rams always losing to the Vikings in bad weather – so lame
Long drives in the car, everyone asleep but me in the back seat
The habit you had of cleaning your ears with a car key
Cooking chicken noodle soup all the way to the end
Super Bowl VII, in 1967 and 1973 the trips to Michigan
Since I was sick, you took me to a store to get sherbet and some pop
Once got me a Dodger t-shirt after collecting those Pepsi soda tops
The amazing homerun by Kirk Gibson – man, what a shock
A call from Bete, those late night metaphysical talks
Each memory – a gift from a surreal world, so sublime
Tears when Mary Lynn left home that very first time
Yes visions of the past, present and future, memories of a life
Remembering always: the universe is perfect … it’s great to be alive
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