Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Happy Birthday and Veteran's Day

Yes, I know it is not called Veteran's Day any more. It is my daddy's birthday, and I'll still call it Veteran's Day for myself. but I think I saw it being called Veteran's Day on TV. Maybe I've got it backwards, huh? He is no longer alive. When I was a girl growing up, he used to joke and say they created a holiday just for him. I wish they had. He deserved it. For many reasons. Though wounded in WWII, getting hit by shrapnel, going to France to the hospital, then home with a huge hole in his back, life dealt him more blows than the war ever did,and they lasted until he died.

He called me the night he died. Why did I know that conversation was different? Special? The Dorrises and Cunninghams were over after Wednesday night prayer meeting, and I gone into the hallway to talk to him. For some unknown reason, talking to him made my heart beat faster, maybe even a bit irratic, or something. I don't know, but there was something to my demeanor that made Jim ask me if something was wrong. He wanted to know if I wanted him to talk to Daddy because sometimes his calls could be difficult to handle. Depending on what he had had to eat and/or drink. But, no. It was okay. He was talking about his life. He had already talked about Brenda, and there was a definite lilt to his voice when talking about her. That's okay. He had told it all to me before. Now, he was telling me that I had given him the most important things in his life. His three grandchildren. Jimbo, Robert, and Debbie. He did not know he had a great-granddaughter Jennifer. We were taking her, Jennifer, to see him the upcoming Saturday. He never got to see her nor the three grands, because he died that Wednesday night sometime after talking to me. We never knew what it was of, except that we knew it could have been the emphysema. That begins a story that is MUCH too long to begin here, tonight. I'm just so very exhausted. Good night to all.

Jimbo

Robert - forever 16
Debbie - First babyFirst great-granddaughter
First great-great-grandson

1 comment:

Jocelyn said...

Hi Ragdoll. Yes it is me. I've been keeping up with all your postings. Sorry to be so long responding but I won't go into the details.
I became very sad as I read about your father. One of my best relationships as an adult was my father. He was not aroung a lot when I was a small child. On the night before he died we had a really good talk. He and my mother lived with me at that time. He was so happy, full of life and it was a good evening. I received a call at lunch the next day. He had eaten his lunch and then died sitting in his chair at the table. Not a word, not a movement of the body--his spirit was lifted out and he was with God. Oh how I miss him. His birthday is the same as my Doug. November 15th (this Saturday). Say an extra prayer for me on Friday. I go to the heart specialist in Dallas for an opinion on what I should do about the hole in my heart. I am excited about the amount of posting you are doing lately. You must feel better. One more thing. I am so sad that Coleman is having to go through treatment again. That is one amazing family. Thanks for sharing his information with me. I read everything she posts. Love to you and Jim. Jocelyn