My Dad could silence a table with "the look".
He only hit me 2 times in my life.....once when I was about 5 and went around the corner without permission (considering it was the Bronx and they had no idea where I was the spanking I got was justified) and the other time I was 16 and decided to invite about 40 of my closest friends to a party while my parents were out and I was babysitting. Dad came home to change his shirt (thanks Mom for washing clothes right after fiberglass curtains) and found teenagers pouring out of doors and windows. Yes, he hit me and I deserved it. He changed and went back to meet my mother. He called about an hour later to apologize for losing his temper. He was not a physical person so this went way against his grain.
He took us cross country in a station wagon.
He took me to a Father Daughter Dance.
He loved his family, good food (sometimes the food took first position) and the holidays.
We had Christmas's that were not to be believed.....from the special Christmas Eve dinner he prepared himself to gifts that were over the top. He loved to decorate the house for Christmas and made you believe in the "magic".
He had a bar built in our den and he loved sitting behind it serving drinks and holding court with who ever wanted to join him. The conversation would move topic to topic usually the topic was determined by Dad.
He loved poetry. I found some of the poems he used to recite to us and have them saved on my computer.
He loved Pavarotti and country music.
He could do a good Lindy or Savoy and my Mom was pretty good at following him.
He was patriotic and loved being a politician.
He had a great laugh when you could get him to laugh.
He loved the Yankees and the NY Giants.
He loved Italy and Hawaii.
He could be tough and also compassionate,
He loved his Corvette (his dream car).
He loved Martini's.
He loved being a lawyer.
He loved being at home , reading a book and falling asleep in front of the fireplace.
He loved his children and his grandchildren.
He loved my Mom.
And yes I can say he loved me.
He left us at 51. Hard to believe I have lived longer than he did.
His final lesson was teaching us how to face a tough enemy....Cancer.....and how to fight and how to die.
Happy Father's Day Dad......I miss you every day........
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