Daddy's Girls

This photo is almost exactly three years old, taken during a family photo shoot on my Mother's 70th Birthday. The story below was written by my sister Stephanie as part of a collection we made for my Dad's 60th birthday.  I felt it captured my Dad quite well and thought I'd share it with you.

My earliest vivid memories, as a child, are times that I spent with my father.  He would be working afternoons, or nights, and as I had not yet started school, my mother would pop me into bed with him before she took Suzan to school and went to work.  He would wake up momentarily, just long enough to hug me close and I would fall back to sleep, protected in his arms (translation:  He had me in a head lock).  I would later wake and wait patiently until it was time to get up and start the day.

We would do a variety of different things on these days, but it always started with:  “Come on, we’re going for coffee.”  So off we’d go for coffee and a talk with the guys.  Then it was off to the Police Station where I would get a coke out of the cooler, and you guessed it, more talking with the guys.  Then off to the Post Office, possibly talking, maybe to Jolly John’s for ice cream (rainbow flavour), or out to someone’s house so he could show me their puppies.   Some days we would head out to our Camp for the day , or we’d just go back home, eat clams out of the can and watch “The Edge of Night”.  

One particular day at the Post Office stop he was just running in, so I waited in the car.  Now sometimes when you’re a kid there are things that you have to do, you just can’t take it, the temptation is just too great.  This day was one of those days.  I threw caution to the wind and put the car in gear.  As I went rolling by, I was sighted by Cy and my shocked father came barreling out of the building, catching up to me and stopping the vehicle that I thought I was driving.  I survived unscathed, however, upon my mother’s return from work, when asked “What did you two do today?”  I replied with a resounding “Dad tried to kill me.”

I also remember a time when we were at our cabin.  Suzan and I were playing “Follow the Leader” and I disturbed a bee hive while crawling over a fallen log.  Needless to say, they were not happy bees and immediately swarmed me.  I started screaming hysterically.   Then suddenly, I could hear my dad crashing through the bush and I remember knowing that I didn’t need to panic because he would come and everything would be all right.  (I truly thought he was Superman, although I never did find his cape).  Again, fortunately, other than the multitude of stings, I was not seriously hurt.

Now that I am older, I think of my father and the thing that I would really like him to know is my heartfelt gratitude for the unconditional love and support that he has given me through every day of my 33 years.  He may not always agree with my ways and I think it just might be possible that he finds me a little frustrating at times.   I do  know one thing for sure:  that no matter what, he is there.  If my life comes up and swarms me he will come crashing through the bush in his cape and tights, with a big “C” on his chest and do everything he can to help me.