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Home » Categories » Home Life » Family » My Quirky Dad » Printer Friendly

Beckie Stewart Beckie Stewart (34)
Beckie Stewart

My Quirky Dad

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Submitted Thursday, April 24, 2008
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     “Who was that, dad?" I inquired of him as I placed the bread and milk on the counter in front of the clerk.

     “I don’t know," my dad answered as he reached into his pocket to retrieve his wallet. “He is new in town and wanted to know which aisle the cereal was in."

     "You’re kidding," I thought as I shook my head. Once again it took us twenty minutes to purchase two items. It amazed me the way my dad could have long conversations with strangers. Everyone was a potential friend to him.

     My dad was unique, but my head swirls with glee whenever I think of my Christmas’ as a kid with my dad and his side of the family. In preparation for our celebration, my dad and I would rush around the house in search of gifts for me to wrap for the family.  My dad bought items all year keeping them stored for whenever he was in need of gift. 

     “You never knew what your gift would be," my cousin Bob told me years later. “It might be a pair of socks, a ski hat, or gloves, but you could always count on it being tucked in a Velveeta cheese box."   My dad always had at least twenty of those boxes in which he also used them to store cassette tapes.

     Years later as a young mother, my dad would come spend Christmas morning with my young family and me.   I’ll never forget the year I received the placemats and hotplates that I had made and had given him only two years earlier.  I guess he didn’t want them, and so he gave them to me convinced he had bought them at a craft show. 

     One of my favorite memories of my dad was the summer I met my friend, Kathi.  A couple in my church introduced me to her, because they believed we would be instant friends. They were right.

     “Where do you work?" I asked.

     “Are you familiar with the photo booth in the middle of the K-Mart parking lot?"

     “My father gets his pictures developed there all the time," I told her.

     Kathi’s mouth dropped open, and then she smiled. “Is your dad’s first name, Bill?"

     Slowly, with butterflies doing a dance in my belly, I hesitantly confirmed that it was. Kathi proceeded to tell me when and where I was born, what college I attended, and details that a new friend should not know.

     “How do you know all this?" I asked her.

     “Every time your dad picks up his photos, he pulls them out of the envelope, and tells every detail about each one. There is no doubt that your dad loves you and is proud of you."

     Kathi began laughing, “I loved when he would come in on a difficult day that was windy. With all his pictures displayed on the shelf, inevitably a gust of wind would send them flying in the air. While others are waiting in line for their orders, your dad is chasing photos around the parking lot."

     When I was first told this, I was embarrassed. However, I am now grateful for these reminders of my dad’s love me.  Every child needs to know they are loved the way my dad loved me, and how he was used to cheer others on a rough day.

     My last visit with my dad was in September of 1998, just eight months before he fell ill and died.   Prior to his trip to Texas to see us, he had been hospitalized for three weeks because his appendix had burst.  For years, he had disregarded that fact that he had diabetes.  However, while he was in the hospital, the doctors discovered that his numbers had skyrocketed.  He finally realized he had to take his diabetes seriously, and so he told me he made and listened to the following recording each morning before getting out of bed.

     “Good morning, Bill. It is a new day, and you are a diabetic. You need to take your medication, because you are a diabetic. You must take this medicine three times a day, because you are diabetic. You must always remember that you are a diabetic."

     For five minutes you hear his voice reminding him that he could no longer ignore his medical condition. Sadly, it came too late to save his life. The aggressive medication given to control his diabetes eventually shut down his liver and kidney, bringing him home to glory, where I am sure he is entertaining the angels today.






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Comments on this article:


» left by Kathi Whittington from San Antonio, TX (1 year 277 days ago.)
Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
Your dad was so great! He indeed brightened up my day! He was quirky... but always delightful... and yes he LOVED you!

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» left by Jennifer Maggio from Baton Rouge, LA (1 year 277 days ago.)
Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
I love this story. The love between father & daughter is so special.

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» left by Stacey from Washington (1 year 277 days ago.)
Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
I loved reading about your father. You have a lot of great articles. I'm having a hard time keeping up!

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» left by Susan Thom (11,778)
Susan Thom
(1 year 276 days ago.)

Reader Rating: 4 out of 5
hi beckie,
what a warm, loving, touching, and well written article.
it is a nice tribute to your dad. thanks for sharing with us,
best regards,
sue thom
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» left by Wanda Liggett from Fort Worth, TX (1 year 269 days ago.)
Reader Rating: 5 out of 5
Wanda Thanks for sharing about your Dad. I know that the relationship between me and my dad was so special also. Brought back beautiful memories.

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Article added to SearchWarp.com on 4/24/2008 9:26:18 AM.
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Beckie Stewart


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