the day my father died
I went to work as usual,
a regular day at the office
until I got the call from my uncle.
the day my father died
he went to work as usual,
got the groceries in the morning
then headed to the shop to work on an alternator
the day my father died,
my cousin Todd found him in the shop
on the floor with no pulse. his heart stopped
they called the paramedics
the day my father died
my brother Greg did CPR
over and over until the paramedics arrived
he said it seemed like forever
the day my father died
i called my 2 first cousins
that played with me
when we were children
the day my father died
i called my sister
at work, she felt the same shock
as I did when I got the call.
the day my father died
i drove to french river
i passed kids jumping off the bridge
into the water at Stanley Bridge
the day my father died
I wept as i thought about how i will miss him
I wept as i thought about how much i love him
I wept as i thought about how much my family will miss him
I wept as I thought about my mother
the day my father died
my siblings all converged
to our family home
a sad reunion to get us all together
the day my father died
it was a hot summer day
one of the first real hot ones this year
a rainy day may have seemed more appropriate
the day my father died
I went into his shop to look around
I discovered some of his books
and Hilroy scribblers filled with math on every page
the day my father died
I truly realized for the first time it happens to everyone
their parents, children, grandparents
we all die. it does end
the day my father died
I thought about his life. he was
an inventor, an artist, a mathematician, a problem solver, a teacher, a fisherman, a mechanic
his little shop was so organized, shelves lined with stock
the day my father died
I saw the connection to my life
My habits, persona and organization skills
all derived from him
the day my father died
I watched my siblings weep
and weep for the father who was so important to us all
for the father who did everything. there was nothing he couldn't do
the day my father died
my mother was in shock
she didn't cry in front of me. she waited until the next morning
to see if it was all a dream
the day my father died
i'll never forget that day
that day my father passed away
rest in peace daddy. I love you
(April 21, 1929 - July 29, 2009)
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