This will be my first Father’s Day without you.
I’ll be honest—I was a little scared for it because of how sad and empty I would feel. I was already feeling sad the night before.
I really didn’t do anything that morning; I just sat in my bedroom and thought about you. I really missed your presence.
If you were still here, I would’ve been in LA with you. We most likely would’ve gone to your favorite beach and then eaten at a restaurant of your choice (probably somewhere local). I say ‘most likely’ because there are a lot of strikes going on in LA right now, so I don’t know if you would’ve wanted to drive all the way out to the beach.
I’m grateful that you were my dad. You taught me how to write and do car maintenance, both of which have helped me tremendously. Speaking of car maintenance…the Prius is down because the engine’s head gasket is blown. You didn’t teach me how to fix that, but you gave me the confidence to tackle any car problem. I remember your stories about how you fixed your own cars. There were times when you messed up and had to get your car towed, but in the end, you were able to make things work.
I wish we could’ve done more car work together. Fortunately, I have friends to teach me what you probably would’ve taught me had I come to you for help. Here’s two of them (Colin up top and Adrian on the bottom):
I’m still calling Mama every day. She says you used to do that when you two were dating or when you were on work travel. We still talk about you every once in a while. She’s hanging in there. I will admit that I now understand a little why you were frustrated with her sometimes. She’s quite stubborn…just like you haha.
I’m coming back home this weekend to celebrate your birthday. I’ll swing by the cemetery. I can’t wait to see you.
Love,
Jerry
A quick shoutout
Here’s a quick shoutout to all the dads out there. Happy Belated Father’s Day!
If you’re celebrating Father’s day without your dad, I hope you get a chance to think about him. My dad passed away in January of this year (you can read about my experience here).
