My father was never too tired for a a trip to the park. Even though I had a swing set and slide in the back yard I would beg my father to take me to "the castle". It was a park 20 minutes into town with a slide that had castle turrets. I loved that park and of course we always got a treat at the store located beside the park. When you're a kid you don't think about work or what parents do all day, the fact that they just came from the place you are making them go back to but Dad didn't mind. My Mum would even argue a case for the at home play yard extravaganza in our backyard but no, I had to go to the Castle and The castle is where we went.
At work my father was an engineer, he was not to accept any calls unless it was an emergency. Everyday when I got home from school I would call up the manor he worked at and tell the girls it was an emergency, could Walter please bring Crystal some smarties home after work. It got to be an on going joke at work and even some of the nurses that worked in the building got me smarties for the holidays.
On rainy days we went to the library and I got to hang out in the kids section by myself. I could check out as many books as I wanted. On Saturdays we went grocery shopping together and usually in the evenings we had family movie nights or went to visit family friends. Some afternoons I would ask him to play treasure hunt and we would trace our feet and make cut outs, we would place the feet around the house and at the end would be a treasure. My father somehow remembered and placed chocolate or gum coins at the end of the game for me to find as a big surprise.
My Dad read to me at night and taught me that when people treat you badly you can't wuss out, you have to stand up for yourself and stick it out. He took me fishing and to flea markets, we checked out yard sales and bought treasures at auctions. He let me make a million little projects with scraps of wood in the basement while he worked on projects for the house. Playing in the basement at his old desk and using all of his old letterhead and stamps from BP Oil were some of my favorite lazy afternoons.
He rarely got mad or had to shout, he didn't rat me out when I took the car for a joy ride and smashed in the side of the wheel well without saying anything. He let me then drive on back roads on the way to my friends house so I could learn to drive without hitting a mailbox. When I wanted a later curfew because all my friends had one, my Dad stood up for me and said as long as I left a number and was home before the sun came up it was fine.
When I became a mother at the age of 19 although he was upset he still took the time to make my daughter a beautiful cradle. When I went into labour he was in the city working, when I was pushing and my daughter was about to be born, my father called and left a message on the answering machine wishing me good luck and telling me he was just thinking of me and hoping I was okay.
When I called him crying to come and get me during a particularly bad breakup, he somehow showed up in a matter of minutes when it should have taken an hour. When I finally met my prince charming he made sure the day was special and walked me down the aisle. For our first dance he selected a song and kept it a surprise. I had no idea which song we would dance to and I was so excited when I heard the words to Ray Charles - If I Could. (Take a listen, you'll be bawling like a baby!) My husband and I got married in a castle like setting and on our wedding video my Dad told my husband to take care of his princess and it was now his job to take me to "the castle" which he had that day by making all of my dreams come true.
I said I would never marry anyone unless they were like my father. My father loves his wife and is always respectful. He left her love notes and flowers, they went on dates and dragged all of us along with them for trips down east every summer. I definitely found someone that lived up to the high standards my Dad had set by example.
My parents gave up fancy vacations and cars so that we could all have the type of life they did not and I know I am so grateful for the sacrifices they made. I never use to play the lottery but every few weeks I buy a lot of tickets and tell the cashier it's for my parents, if I win I can send them on a trip around the world and buy them a castle. Heres to hoping!
My father has given me many gifts over my lifetime, earrings from his trip out west, glasses from Maine with sun moon and stars on them I had admired, the hand made cradle, his time, love and energy he spends with my children and helping our family. But my favorite gift of all was the gift he gave me in November when he chose to have bypass surgery to repair the damage to his heart. We now have a happy and healthy father, popi, grandpa, Dad, friend. We could not be more relieved and excited to celebrate this fathers day with the worlds greatest Dad, my hero.
xoxo Love Crystal Lee Wally L********
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