A Daddy's Day Treat

My father truly was a treat for me. In our home, he was king, King, KING! 

This mem here is a short clip to serenade him. The longer gratis clips are inside Black Table. So, short clip shorter, let anyone else tell it, I came out of the womb talking and asking questions. This day however, (and maybe I was three or four, we still didn’t have a car), my father was taking me somewhere where we had to go by trolley car. It was one of those green cable trolleys I still see trolleying around West Philadelphia today.

We get on the trolley and of course I’m enamored. I always was. Pointing, asking questions, just way too thrilled about life. I hop up on the seat—a window seat—and my father sat beside me. Instantly I’m up on my knees in the next second, looking and pointing out the window, continuing with the rivulet of questions. Everyone on the trolley car hears me. I know this because my father answers using his inside voice, coaxing me to lower my voice. 

“Daddy look! Daddy look! What’s that?” Or, “Daddy, why this.” This goes on for a few minutes until he leans into me and tells me to stop sticking my arm out of the window. He says if I keep sticking my arm out the window another car might come along and take it off. I pull my arm inside the window and slink down in the seat awestruck by this exposé. 

Well, what do you know happens less than a minute after he says this?

Suddenly I see a man wearing a white dress shirt (I shall never forget), with one sleeve pinned in a way to cover a missing arm. My eyes open big. My mouth falls in my lap. I am in absolute horrific dire shock. I jump up and cry, “Daddy! Daddy! Look! That man stuck his arm out the window!” People on the trolley laughed. My father tried to calm me. And I still haven’t forgotten that moment spent with my father. 

Fathers and Daddies everywhere, 

Remember, it’s NOT the quantity of time you spend with your children. It’s the quality of time. 

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!