FATHER'S DAY TRIBUTE TO MY DAD

MY FATHER DIED AT AGE 75 IN 1993 ..HE WAS THE PATRIARCH OF A FAMILY OF SIX KIDS (3 BOYS AND 3 GIRLS) ..HE HAD SOME COLLEGE AND WORKED AT ONE JOB FOR 33 YEARS UNTIL THEY LET HIM GO..AFTER A FEW "ODD" JOBS MY BROTHER-IN-LAW HIRED HIM AND HE WORKED THERE UNTIL HE "RETIRED"..HE WAS A VERY SMART MAN AND VERY DISCIPLINED WITH OUR FAMILY..HE REMAINED MARRIED TO MY MOTHER FOR HIS WHOLE LIFE AND WHEN SHE DIED AT 67 IN 1988 HE WAS ALONE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE (EXCEPT FOR US..HIS KIDS)..THAT'S WHEN I GOT TO "KNOW HIM"..ALL MY LIFE I WAS VERY DISTANT AND EVEN UNABLE TO HUG HIM OR SAY "I LOVE YOU,DAD"..AT MY MOM'S FUNERAL I TRIED TO "HUG" HIM AND HE PULLED AWAY..THEN AT SUBSEQUENT FUNERALS..(THERE WERE MANY) HE CAME AND HUGGED ME AND MY SIBLINGS ..A GESTURE THAT MEANT THE WORLD TO ALL OF US..I COULD FILL VOLUMES WITH WHAT HE TAUGHT ME AND NURTURED IN ME BUT I WON'T..SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT AT A DINNER (AFTER A COUPLE ON HIS FAVORITE MANHATTINS) I SAID DAD  "I LOVE YOU" AND HE RESPONDED " I'VE WAITED ALL MY LIFE TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT..I LOVE YOU ,TOO JOHN"
BOY, I'M SO GLAD I SAID THAT WHEN I DID.I REALLY MISS HIM NOW ..."HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ,DAD..I LOVE YOU..YOUR SON,JOHN"