You are currently browsing the monthly archive for February 2012.
…in 1504, Christopher Columbus used a lunar eclipse to convince Native Americans to provide him supplies
…in 1892, St. Petersburg, Florida was born
…in 1956, Dwight Eisenhower announced his intentions to seek a second term as President of the United States
And in 1976, my father finished medical school. Happy 9th anniversary of doctoring, Dad.
We have all known people with personalities larger than their physical stature, the types that fill the room with a liveliness that exceeds the space they occupy. They season every encounter with a certain flavor and leave you with the impression that your life is more exciting, in some small way, for being a part of their big life. My father-in-law was such a person; for many of his years he was a physically imposing man, which speaks further volumes about his colossal personality. He was, in every sense, a giant.
Last Saturday, he departed us, having lived more in over 69 years than some have lived in four lifetimes. Any tribute from me is woefully incomplete, for I knew him only 20 of those, and there is no question every one of his years was full of meaning.
I can share a few stories that spring to mind as I reflect on his triumphant life – a life of generosity, hard work, and warm celebration.
Even before I started dating his daughter, I knew who he was. His physical stature and omnipresence at my high school’s sporting events made him hard to miss. In those days he was a solid 6-3, 320, if I had to guess through nostalgia-drunk eyes (he was not yet his “post-grandkids-get-in-gear” weight which was closer to 210). After one basketball game, as I was leaving the gym, he shook my hand and offered congratulations. My hand disappeared, and the tight squeeze coupled with the sly grin made it clear this was not a man to be taken lightly.
He said “good game today young man”, with a slow Southern drawl.
“Yes sir,” I replied, “thank you sir.” Remember, he was huge.
“You know,” he went on, “the strangest thing happened – someone toilet-papered my house. You don’t know who did that, do you?” he asked smiling, and squeezing even harder.
“No sir.” This was factually correct, and I hoped I would never find out who did it for fear I would endure the German wrath that awaited them.
He continued, squeezing a bit more, “shame, because now I have to hire someone to clean it up. Well, good night young man.” And he slapped me on the back and went on his way, smiling.
Trust me when I say that I remembered that vividly as I started dating, and later married, his daughter. You can be sure he commanded the perfect mixture of fear, respect, and compassion. There was no questioning that his undying loyalty was to his little girl.
When I was in college, and even after, he hosted tailgate parties before football games. Every one of my friends was welcome, and all were fed. The food was legendary, and many years my friends would call me in advance of requesting tickets for certain games, to find out what might be on the menu for a given week. One friend planned his annual visit to Notre Dame around the week when my father-in-law was serving his famous baked beans.
I lived to listen to his stories, because the man had traveled the globe in the literal sense. Sure, I had heard a hundred times the story about his travels in the 60s that led to him serving Mass in Baghdad, or having drinks with pilots in Beirut. I could almost recite the stories about being on a hijacked plane in South America, or hitchhiking from Notre Dame back to his home in Richmond. But I wouldn’t have told them like he could; he would recall every detail, so that you wondered what could be relevant about the color of a man’s shirt in 1965, but yet you listened intently for fear that you would miss a gem about him meeting the prime minister of El Salvador. He was the “most interesting man in the world” long before Dos Equis started making television commercials.
Ultimately, his life story included entrepreneurial success as a hard-working pig farmer in Indiana, whose farms employed many families, and whose pigs fed people around the world. Those whom he employed and fed, he considered his own. His life touched so many; I’m thankful I got to ride along and watch a few of the chapters unfold.
He was a loving father, husband, and grandfather (“Opa” in German). He was a man who cared for his employees as if they were family, a man concerned with doing things the right way, and a man who beneath that massive German exterior, was just a big boy with an even bigger heart. He will be sadly missed, though never far from us, because his stories will continue to make us laugh for years and generations to come. And that’s how he would have measured a successful life; were he here now, he would be telling a story, making us laugh, making sure the party rolled on, and making sure all were well-fed. Opa, you were one of a kind.
In Casa de Chaos, we live in a house of experts. This can be helpful if you need to know the capital of Swaziland (it’s a trick question, they have two), that today is National Flag Day in Canada, or how many rebounds the Pacers had in the fourth quarter last night (The Boy and Mushugamah are ardent "SportsCenter" watchers in the morning as they get ready for school). One of the side effects, of course, is that if your answers are imprecise, you will be corrected quickly. This morning was no exception.
Maggie: "Mom, what’s a duchess?"
L&T: "it’s really just another name for a princess"
Annimal: "Mom, it’s the widow or wife of a duke. Come on"
This morning as the kids prepared for school, the news provided background noise and one report highlighted an increase in gas prices. Maggie reacted to this development rather passionately.
"What the heck? Why are they doing that? The price is fine. Stop raising it people. What the heck?"
I did not anticipate a nine-year old to be so attuned to a reduction in purchasing power. Given her reaction, I expect her to be invited soon to comment on CNBC.
Shortly after the craziness Moo describes below (there is nothing quite like awakening to piano practice shortly before the sun rises), the Boy emerged from his slumber. I was reading the paper in the kitchen. I say shortly, but it was really a few hours later. Anyway, he grunted as he passed me, proceeding to the fridge to remove two styrofoam containers. I watched, waiting to see where this project was headed. It was shortly after 10 in the morning.
He began microwaving leftover potato skins (the loaded kind that comprised yesterday’s appetizer at Chotchkie’s or whatever restaurant the kids had talked me into taking them for lunch…yes, it was a “Kids’ Club” event). While the microwave whirred, I finally interjected.
“Potato skins for breakfast?” I asked
“Sure, they’re healthy,” he replied, a smirk now emerging.
“They are?”
“Sure, they have cheese. And bacon. You eat bacon for breakfast.”
The microwave beeped, he removed the plate of potato skins, then paused for a second to remove a cold chicken finger from the styrofoam container. Taking a bite of the chicken, he gave a brief salute, and walked over to his place at the table to begin his “brunch.”
By the way, to get the full experience of the email below (and its author), take a deep breath and try to read the whole thing outloud without taking another breath.
Guess What? (From the title above) I also get to have my own room! I’m really excited because I’m getting a peace sign fathead with my name through the middle. That’s pretty neat! What a beaut! No doubt about that! (From the “Neature Walk” on YouTube) That reminds me, they don’t make Lenny Pepperbottom fatheads. (Lenny Pepperbottom is the guy who is in the “Neature Walk”) I’m sad they don’t make them. It’s my favorite video on YouTube! But anyway I still get to have my own room! Want to know the color? It’s going to be teal tone. It’s like a turquoise color. I have a pull out bed under my bed so if my friend comes to sleep over we can pull out that bed under mine. Have I told you about the fathead? Oh yeah I did. You know It’s early in the morning here, so I better stop Annie from playing the piano because she will wake everybody up!
Bye!
