I guess I can rightly say that this particular post was inevitable. A long time in coming, but without a doubt, inevitable.
Life does that sometimes. Hits you upside the head with a freakin' 2x4.
Many, many moons ago, my Daddy introduced me to a new author, or at least an author I had not known about. It was the summer of my 10th year of life and I, like most 10 year olds, was underfoot, in the way and about as useful at tits on a boar hog, as my Grandma would say. As summer waned, it got worse. But my Daddy, God rest his soul, saved me from boredom and unlocked for me a marvelous journey and adventure that long summer. One I shall never forget and will be forever grateful for.
Our family has always been made up of voracious readers. I can remember a time when each member of the family has failed to hear a beckoning from someone else due to the fact their nose was buried in some book or another. We all varied in our tastes of literary genius, but we ALL had a taste for the written word. One of my pride and joys is the fact that I, in turn, fostered that same love into the lives and hearts of my two children.
But that summer, a new series of book was published in a book club edition wherein if you signed up, you got a set number of books each month for a set dollar amount. I don't recall the name of the book club, but they were published by Walter J. Black INC in Roslyn, New York. The author, yet unbeknownst to me, was a man by the name of Zane Grey. My love affair began.
I am not sure why Daddy thought these books, by this author would appeal to me. My age alone would suggest that I was too young to appreciate them fully, if at all! Perhaps he was just tired of hearing my endless questions as I followed him around his work and he simply sought a way to shut me the heck up. Looking back, it is difficult to fathom that I was only 10 years of age, because upon introduction to this author, I began devouring book after book after book! Daddy eventually had the entire library collection and today, depending upon the title and the condition, you can find these books everywhere on Ebay, Amazon and any other vintage book nook. I have yet to achieve the entire collection myself, but believe me, it is my intent, as I never finished reading them all. There were SO many! I asked Daddy what his favorite title in the collection was and he said it was a toss up between two. #1; Call of the Canyon and #2; Under the Tonto Rim. Under the Tonto Rim was one of the last books Daddy got before I moved out of the homestead and struck out on my own, so I never read that one while Daddy was still on this earth.
I finished that book tonight.
I learned a lot about my Daddy during the reading of this book, but I hardly had identified this throughout the book until I came to the last chapter. I know now why Daddy loved it best. My Daddy was ever the romantic. I see that now where I did not see it before I read this title, but he was! He was a big, lovable, goofy, backwoodsman, romantic marshmellow! My Dad, the lumberjack! My Dad, the fearless soldier of D-Day! My Dad, the ultimate homestead provider! My Daddy, the one who bought Mom tires for her Toyota for their 32nd wedding anniversary!
Yeah that totally doesn't fit the mold of a romantic and believe me, God broke that mold eventually and the world lost a generation of the best men ever created. But in the reading of this book, it all became clear. Good and true and fine.....noble and generous with a back bone of steel and a simple way of looking at life. He was there. My Daddy, the man who raised 4 of his own blood children, and a daughter of his wife and that daughters child. I met my Dad in this book in a way I never dreamed I would, never had a clue I would. And I fell in love with him all over again.
Family is a messy thing. A wonderful, convoluted, frightful, messy thing. But now, Daddy, I understand and I want you to know. It is okay and I am fine and I will make it, many thanks to you and all you taught me. I will do my best to hold onto the lessons and the picture of you and the memories......oh the memories! And you know what Daddy? Those tires for your 32nd wedding anniversary? They were just PERFECT!
I miss you.
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