Day 1495: Happy Birthday Dad!

"Dad & me @ 1" altered old photo

I think about my Dad a lot. 

Today is his birthday. He would be 107.

A man who had what he termed, a great life. 

Dad, age 5

He never smoked or drank, was strict & beyond thrifty. 

A child of the depression ... rarely parting with money.

Served in the Navy & then as a Greyhound bus driver, 



with a perfect safety record, he knew & loved cars.  

Dad had lots of stories & loved telling them.

What was really amazing, he told them word for word ...

with pauses in the same spot every time, for effect.

He loved having a new listener, a new audience.

People always seemed enthralled.

Many stories featured his travels, or well known celebrities.

  

As a personal driver for the movie studios, 

he regularly "hauled", as he called it ...
 Elvis Presley, Cary Grant & other big name actors.

Picking them up at their home in the car they preferred,

delivering them to their movie location 

and back again at the end of the day. 

Dad @ 80

This picture was taken on a junk in Hong Kong Harbor.

I don't think I ever saw him happier.

And yes, a lot of stories were told.

Happy Birthday Dad!

A smile for Monday ...