Sittin Pretty

How lucky I am.  I was fortunate to grow up with two loving parents who opened their doors to everyone.  We had such fun as a family.  There was lots of story telling, plenty of teasing and just plain fun.  Ours was the house where everyone wanted to hang out.  Most of our friends were just sitting on baited breath waiting to hear the next story out of my dad’s mouth.  He was always the entertainer.  I swear he missed his calling for he definitely belonged on stage.  He was a one-man show 24 hours a day. 

My mother could be just as entertaining only it was unintentional.  She was just so honest and said the first thought that popped into her head.  My parents were compared to Archie and Edith Bunker but without the bigotry.  My dad was as colorful as Archie and my mother was a sweet as Edith.  I think what I admired most was their love for one another.   My father had the same romantic love for my mother for 55 years.  He always referred to her as his lovely Lolita.  (I guess he wasn’t that much like Archie after all)  I always hoped to find someone to love me as much as my father loved my mother. 

Sometimes when I am quiet and close my eyes I can see them both.  I can see my dad in his white t-shirt and shorts, rolling a cigar between his thumb and fingers.  With one leg slung over the arm of a chair he would survey his audience with a mischievous glint in his eyes.  Not far away was my mother always lovely but oblivious to the shenanigans about to transpire.  

Forgive me if you have heard this before but hey, I'm old, I repeat myself..................

I remember one day in particular when my brother Mike decided to join the family after spending a few days recuperating from hemorrhoid surgery.  I was sitting in the den next to my father as Mike gingerly made his way down the hall carrying his rubber donut.  I remember watching my dad out the corner of my eye aware of his rather unusual silence.  Daddy just puffed on his cigar while keeping an intent eye on Mike.  Finally Mike positioned himself above the couch.  He let out a deep sigh as he slowly came to rest on top of the rubber donut. Before Mike could inhale dad suddenly remarked, “Well I’ll be damned Mike, you are finally a bigger pain in the ass to yourself than you are anyone else.”