HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

As I left Mass this morning, I wiped a tear or two and thought of Father's Day.  The priest, at the last blessing, of course, blessed all Fathers.

Adam had a wife who had a mind of her own, and poor guy, one son killed the other.  Fatherhood in the Garden of Eden wasn't all that it could have been cracked up to be. Joseph, the Carpenter, took on a young child bride with child.  Raising the Son of the Lord could be considered a challenge!

Last year, on Father's Day, Tess and I were in New Jersey with my parents..."Great Grandpa in New Jersey" as seven year old Tess says.  Dad, Chaunce, Ralph the Barber's Son, Anna's Brother, Uncle Victor, Vic, Wicky, Sludge, Ang's husband, Laura and Donna's Father.  My father, who has always tried to keep it simple, is complicated and has been/is everything to everyone!  Dad is a self-proclaimed recycle freak, tire kicking, cautious (never had a traffic ticket or accident ever), hardworking, profound (amazing observations), intelligent, impatient, patient, daily tennis playing skier who happens to be devoted to a family of educated, screwballs and free spirits.  I really think that only my Mother can get into the inner Chaunce.  But then again, she is an amazing magician on her own.  My father enjoys sports, cars, and B.S. with the "guys" with whom he grew up (yes, and he's 85)! I have always said that my father was a cross between Frank Barone and Columbo. 

Last Father's Day was special.  However, he is special and every occasion, or none, he makes special. He was my playmate for years and a "partner in crime" when my Grandmother was keeping an eye on "Louie".  One Saturday morning, my Mom went to have her hair done before shopping for a new dress for an evening at the Theatre, with assorted Aunts/friends. "Vic, make sure Laura has breakfast!" was the command as she sashayed out of the door and into his brand new '55 Buick Special.  Buried in the newspaper, sipping coffee, he did ask, "Hey, Laur, want some breakfast?  The General said to feed you!"  I said that I was hungry.  Instantly, a package of Hostess Cupcakes appeared!  Breakfast on a cardboard tray wrapped in cellophane! 

He took me to watch airplanes land at a local airport, to the circus, to visit Bubbles (his sister's dog...I loved Bubbles, she ate my egg whites...I didn't/don't eat edges), to visit Ralph the Barber (his Dad) in the Barber Shop, to Kretch's for Ice Cream. 

I am ten and a half years older than my only sibling...Donna.  For years, Chaunce was my playmate.  At the "Jersey Shore", at the end of the day, we would go to the "Boardwalk".  He went on the "Tilt-a-whirl" with me.  On some sort of airplanes, I would shriek and scream at him, "Don't touch the stick! Don't touch the stick!!!" If the lever was pulled, the planes would have ascended into the air.  Not this weenie! 

His best friend, when I began High School, lived across the street from "Lyndhurst's First Golden Girl" (Majorette who twirled with two fire batons) and brought me for twirling lessons.  He endured dance recitals, plays, presentations and football games at the High School .  When we played in Paterson, the half-time show would not have been permitted without our own announcer.  I, in uniform, ran to him and told him that I promised that Wayne Valley had an announcer...Victor Scillieri!  After the urge to strangle me passed, he got us on the field!

We had intimate Father-Daughter moments.  He took me to a Giants-Cowboys (he loves the Dallas Cowboys) Football Game! This was the era of Al Sherman, Bob Hayes, the old Giants Stadium.  It was the coldest day of our lives, ever!  Finally, that "moment" happened, at half-time over hot chocolate.  As we shivered and shook, he looked at me, we connected and he said, "I'm so friggin' cold!  Let's get the hell out of here!  I can't feel my goddamn feet, hands, nothing!  The Cowboys are winning, the goddamn Giants are a bunch of ballerinas and let's go!"  Then, he looked at me after the rant passed and said, "Unless, you really want to stay.  You've never been to an NFL game before."  The crowd was thinning and the wind brutal.  The hard core Giants fans, wrapped like mummies for warmth, began chanting and singing, "Good-bye Allie, Good-bye Allie..."  I said, "It's okay Dad, I'm cold too.  Let's go!"  Frankly, what was I doing there to begin with?  UGH.

I dated a West Point Cadet for years.  He had graduated a year before I did from my high school.  Sometimes I would go to West Point (forty-five minutes from my door) for weekends, sometimes for an evening.  Remember, "Ladies don't go anywhere themselves.  Ladies don't take themselves anywhere"  (Refer to the Nana Blog) There was a dance.  Nancy was going to go to the dance with me.  Her neighbor would ride along to keep Chaunce company while we danced, made use of Flirtation Walk, etc.  The men couldn't get into the post's movie theatre without their military ID (Did I mention that my dad is a Veteran of WWII?).  Highland Falls (town outside Academy's gate) was closed.  A sympathetic officer recommended that the men take in the Army Hockey Championship game.  Nancy, her date, Bob and I had a magical time...but... The Giant-Cowboy Game seemed like a cruise around the Bahamas compared to that Friday evening.  "Goddamn it!  What the hell is wrong with you girls.  There was no way to get warm in that goddamn place!  No coffee, nothing but goddamn ice!"  (Remember, his Dad, Ralph The Barber is from Sicily)

My cousin, Stephen and his wife, Linda along with her Dad, Roy invited my father, my sister (young) and me to go out for the day on a river in canoes.  I will only say that to this day, my Father is upset about that true Cuban cigar, new glasses and fine hat that Charlie the Tuna is still wearing after all of these years!

When I was twenty-one, I decided to learn how to ski.  My sister, at eleven took some lessons.  My Father (forty-three) took lessons, excelled.  Except for one fall that put ice between his glasses and eyeballs.

Another cousin, Ron had a Kawasaki trail motorcycle.  At that time, my Uncle had just put a new, beautiful, high dollar fence around their swimming pool.  My family was visiting Ron's.  "Hey, Ang!" Ron called to my Mom, "C'mon, I'll take you for a ride on the back of my bike!"  My mother:  "Ronnie, I will only ride with Vic!"  My father jumped up and said, "Hey, show me the controls, let me take if for a dry run and then I'll take the Boss out!"  Ronnie, graciously and patiently instructed the rookie.  Dad revved the engine.  Suddenly, life took on slow motion!  There was a man flying through air!  There was a man flying over a fence and a motorcycle crashing into and through the fence!  Unknowingly, my Aunt asked when he reappeared, "Hey, Vic, did you go through our woods?"  With a crooked grin, he replied, "Hey,  Grace, I just went through your fence...just missed your pool!" My Mom never did get a ride on that bike! 

I found a stray kitten outside of our home.  "Don't you dare bring that flea bag in the house!  No cats!"  Butterscotch was with me as a young adult, through marriages, including my children.  When I was traveling, he and Mom would feed our cats...After a fuss about those lazy flea-bags, he would leave "Paw Ball" scores hanging in the kitchen and tell me that the cats were excited about, "meals on wheels"  (the garbage truck passing).

He loved "inspecting" the buildings that my husband owned.  They were partners in crime and had fun "real-a-tating".  He would walk the beach with our children for miles so that I could just snooze and achieve an even tan.  Chaunce put all of us on wheels, as he says by patiently taking us out to practice drive (children and grandchildren).  He drove Tiffany to dance with the Joeffry and drove Nick's equipment trucks when he had to "load in" another show in Manhattan or Mars.  He was the only ticket in town to guarantee that his grandchildren got to school on time (mascara and eye liner take me a while).

He and Mom dance at the Elks, go to luncheons, have the same friends with whom he grew up. 
 
Chaunce has walked me down the aisle three times, endured two annulments and has the "survivor's" T-shirt after my sister's divorce.  He has taken us back, over and over.  He has driven children, grandchildren everywhere over and over.  He put on his Tux to attend Tiffany's " Coming out" at the Pierre.  He put on his sweatshirt to watch Super Bowl with Steve or Jeremy. Victoria has mooched lunch money double dipping after her Mom has given it to her, before he drove her to school.  Chaunce has done nothing but care for us, support us.  I try to tell him that Mom, Donna, the children,and I make him look good and affluent!  He's not always buying it!

We all went to his Eight-Fifth Birthday Party.  This summer, I will check into "Sludge's Fine, Fine Inn" for two weeks this summer. My sister and I want to do some work there.  Sludge's is the nickname that he gave the house when we all pile in, soak up his amenities.

When Jeremy (my nephew, the third grandchild) graduates from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Chaunce will walk with him because he is an Alumni

I look forward to watching him walk with Jeremy.  I know he has walked with me through my entire life.  He may have a few battle scars, but he continues with conviction, pride, love!  (of course, he might sneak in a dry run first).