Since it's Dad's day

[Dragonslayer]

It's Dad's day so naturally I'm thinking about my Dad who passed away in Febuary 2002.

 

Dad wasn't anything about motorcycles at all. In fact the only memories I have of him where motorcycles were involved was the day I got my first street legal motorcycle a Honda CB 750. He wanted to ride it during the first hour of my ownership of it. I was somewhat hesitant to hand over my brand new bike to anyone ,my Dad included. But, he was my Dad and he did finally agree to let me purchase it against his better judgement. That on top of his desire to ride came across in more of a tone of a command than a request. I reluctlantly gave him a brief and cursory instruction on the shift pattern, how to operate the clutch and where the throttle and the brakes were located.

 

I watched with concern then horror as he gave it a little gas. He slowly let out the clutch and the bike started rolling. He picked up his feet but I don't think they every reached the foot pegs as the bike swerved toward the right side curb then the left side curb then back toward the right curb before he dropped the bike in the middle of the street before reaching our next door nieghbor's mail box.

 

As I was standing there in wide eyed horror, he slowly picked himself up off the ground. Leaving the bike on the ground where it lay, he slowly walked past me and my chastizing mother, without a word and brushing the dirt off his newly acquired road rash on his knee and elbow. He walked up the driveway and into the house and never again showed any interest in the motorcycle at all.

 

Then later that year I managed to get involved in a 150 MPH combined impact head on collision on that bike. For the next year and a half while I lived in the hospital in tracksion, my Dad was there. Then a year of Physical therapy, three years in a wheel chair, five years of litigation and a week long Civil jury trail for damages, my Dad was there.

 

No My dad wasn't into motorcycles at all. He liked to sing at Karoke and piano bars, mostly Frank Sinatra. When he told a joke he was always the one laughing the loudest at the punch line. He was known to be a prankster with a corny sense of humor to his family and a character known as "Good Time Charlie" to his friends, especially the ladies. To this day when seeing some of the old locals that were his friends I'm still initially referred to as Charlie's son before my name is recalled. A fact I view with pride not malice.

 

It wasn't untill the later years of his life that I began thinking of him as a friend and our relationship bonded with each other. I'm just thankfull that was accomplished before he passed away. And as I look back in retrospect, I don't think our friendship started to occur untill I began to respect him for what he was rather than resenting him for what he wasn't. And him looking at me in the same way.

 

The following poem I wrote for his memorial service and was included in the service program.

 

Carpe Diem

 

 

 

Seize the day is what he’d say,

 

 

For tomorrow is never sure.

 

 

We never know if we‘ll pass this way,

 

 

Or If I can hold your hand once more.

 

 

 

My life has been blessed and was rich indeed,

 

 

With friends and loves and family.

 

 

My heart has been full for sure.

 

 

Life’s sweet music has filled my ears,

 

 

A song of bliss so pure.

 

 

 

When my time has ended,

 

 

And I go to meet my Lord,

 

 

No floods of tears should you shed,

 

 

For my struggles will be no more.

 

 

 

Each song I sang along the way

 

 

Was meant to share my soul.

 

 

I tried to sing them lovingly,

 

 

So lovingly to you.

 

 

 

Charles R. Graham

 

 

In memory of my beloved Father and friend

Charles Corwin Graham

Edited June 15, 2008 by Dragonslayer
correction

[Sleeperhawk]

An AWESOME post

[Sleeperhawks Mechanic]

How beautiful!

[Tatonka]

Thanks for sharing. Very moving and brings back quite a few memories and tears too.

 

God bless and have a blessed Sunday and Father's Day.

[cecdoo]

Very Nice.......

[hipshot]

thank you , Charles. that was a very moving post, and as said earlier, it "stirred up some old memories", and made my eyes leak a little bit.

just jt

[VTirelli]

Thank you for sharing that with us....

[99silver]

Thanks,

I lost my Dad in March and there was a big void today, however I kept busy today. Went to Church then an Open House Graduation Party Ect. but it didn't seem like Fathers Day.

Thanks for sharing,

Gary

[Dragonslayer]

  99silver said:

Thanks,

I lost my Dad in March and there was a big void today, however I kept busy today. Went to Church then an Open House Graduation Party Ect. but it didn't seem like Fathers Day.

Thanks for sharing,

Gary

Gary

 

I inherited and now live in my fathers house so as you can imagine there are things all over that remind me of my Dad every day. In fact there have been several bizare occurrances through the years that had Charlie's unmistakable signature on them that made me feel his presence is still here with me at times. At times the thought that he may watching is a little unnerving.

 

But, I believe that he will always be with me as long as I hold his memory in my heart, mind and soul.