Happy Retirement, Dad!

My dad's best friend Dennis retired this week.  And I cried.  I cried because I was so happy for him and his wife.  But I also cried because I was jealous.  Not that I wasn't retiring - I am much too young for that :).  But jealous that my dad never got to.  Jealousy isn't pretty, but I'm owning it.

If you're new here,  you can read here and here about my dad's untimely departure. 

I talked about my dad's friendship with Dennis when I spoke at his funeral.  They were like "peas and carrots" I said,  "they just go together".  They started working at UPS around the same time.  They both married young and had kids and worked hard and stayed married when so many were divorcing.  They played softball with their buddies in short 80's shorts and rode Harley's together. They probably drank too much beer and and got into some trouble along the way too.  Dennis was the brother my dad never had.  He was super tall to my dad's average/short height but they both sported mustaches.  Dennis was a little more country, more of a hunter, and more religious.  But they balanced each other and we all became extended family.  And they both wore UPS brown for more years than they didn't. 

When my dad died, I of course cried for us kids losing our father, I cried for my mom losing her partner,  I cried for my nanny losing her son, I cried for the guys traveling with my dad for what they witnessed and I cried for Dennis losing his best friend.  I've also always wondered how Dennis felt about not being with my dad on that fateful trip.  They usually went on motorcycle trips together but Dennis wasn't on this one.

Anyways, Dennis retired from UPS this week.  He deserves this so much.  He has worked loyally for so long and it's his turn to kick back and enjoy life.  His wife posted a throw back picture on Facebook of Dennis in his UPS browns  and I loved it.  And I cried.  I cried happy tears for them and I cried sad and jealous tears for my mom and dad.  Although Dennis and my dad looked nothing alike, the picture reminded me so much of my dad.  I'm sad and pissed that my dad never got to retire - to kick back and enjoy life.

But that's the way the cookie crumbled.  Stupid deer.

So I'm saying "Happy Retirement, Dad!" - if you hadn't already, I'm guessing you'd be retiring today along with Dennis.   I'm going to sit in my driveway tonight with the girls dressed up while trick-or-trreaters come by and have a beer instead of sitting in your driveway and having a beer with you to celebrate.  Cheers!

This picture is when my niece Maddie was about the age my daughter Ellis is now.  Maddie is 14 now.  Dad was driving through Tyler (where my sister lived at the time) and pulled over to see Maddie.  I guess the truck scared her and Dad was making pouty faces with her.