Happy Birthday Dad

Although it was yesterday, February 3, happy birthday to my Dad. My Dad is retired from the NYPD. After retirement he went back to school and got his Masters at ASU. He had gone to school before, he tried juggling, work, family life and law school while I was a kid but it didn't work out. It was alot to manage as he worked in the City and we lived in Orange County, the commute alone was alot. So he did go back to school and then he wrote books. He wrote: 14 Peck Slip, Bronx Angel, Little Boy Blue and The Con Man's Daughter ( my personal favorite ). He has a great sense of humor and he gets my jokes, always laughs even when other people just don't get it. He never seems surprised by my forwardness, and my language, which at times can be foul. He appears to like it when I speak my mind, I hope he really does because I'm not going to change. I seem to have lost the ability to hold my tongue, if that is a disability it is a freeing one.
When I first realized that my marriage was going to end, all I could think of was to call him. It wasn't that I expected him to rush in and fix things or to make things right, I didn't. There was a time that I wished he would exact some form of vengence, but that was early on and luckily has since passed. I really just wanted, needed to hear his voice. I drove to the abandoned 7-11 parking lot, it was late and I know I woke him, but he answered almost immediately. I told him through big sobs, which I am sure caused him heartache to hear, he said " babe you will be alright, there is no fault on your part" Those words have stayed with me since that night in the abandoned 7-11 parking lot. My mother, I suppose being a woman, said " if anyone thinks your father will ever let this go they are wrong ", those words also have stayed with me, and always make me smile. Just the thought that even one person would never let it go, even if it is no longer true, as it doesn't matter anymore. It was just what I needed and wanted to hear. Now that the dust from all of that settled my Mom & Dad tell me how proud they are of me and the way I handled it all. Even at this age that is great to hear, because they could have said " I told you so " Because they had, but they didn't. Then my Dad said something to me that I will never forget and when I am really old and wrinkled and losing my mind I will never forget this; he said:
" Now your life is your own, live & die by your own decisions. Live with a Rock Star, just be careful of disease " !! Now he has said many wonderful, father knows best things to me, that I will carry with me always but that line, that line is a keeper. He said that because he gets me and the me that he gets is okay by him, just the way I am.
So Mom thanks for being there, I love you!
So Happy Birthday Dad ( even if this is written a day late ), and thanks for getting me and being okay with who that me is! I love you!