Me and My Dad
thanks Dad

With Father’s Day just around the corner, I am flooded with memories of my dad.

My dad wasn’t the kind of guy who would tell you he loved you but he showed me in other ways.

I needed a car to get around when I was heading to the big city of Regina after graduation. Dad took us to a car auction. I immediately spotted a hot red sports car. Please, Dad, “Bid on that one’. He didn’t even look at it.

Instead, he bought me the biggest boat of cars that were at the auction. It was heavy with a big front end, probably quite a gas guzzler and was a beast to parallel park. When I offered to pay for it, he said, “No, keep your money for rent.” Many years later, thinking about that car, I realized that he bought me a safe car, not a hot car. Thanks, Dad.

My dad co-signed and put down the downpayment for my mortgage on my first ‘little house on the prairies’. He told me to pay off the mortgage first and then I could pay him back. I paid off the mortgage in a few years. Then, whenever I had a few extra dollars, I would take $$$ to dad. He would pull out his big binder and record all the accounting. One day, when I tried to give him some $$$, he said, that was enough. I still feel that I got the better deal from him as I am sure I hadn’t paid him back entirely. Thanks dad.

Living in the Qu’Appelle Valley, one morning at 7:00 am, I heard a knock on the door. A guy standing there said, “Your dad told me you needed a well dug, so I am here to do that.” Sure enough, the well-digging rig was parked in my yard. I said, “I can’t afford to pay for that now.” He said, “Pay me when you can. Your dad told me to dig you a well”. And that's just what happened, and I paid him in full that fall. Thanks dad.

When I had an art show in Fort Qu’Appelle, he told his neighbours, “Ha, my kid’s having a show. You should go take a look.” They did drop by, purchased two paintings, and later asked me to do a commission painting for them. Thanks dad.

When I last saw him in the hospital I was able to tell him that I loved him. He couldn’t speak at that time, but he gave me a nod as if to say, “Back at ya, kid.”