Easters Past

Hello Nice People

Shiver, shiver, shiver.......what a cold and rainy nasty day. And for the day before Easter too. But I think we forget as the days pass, that it is usually chilly in early April. I remember Easters that were snowy. Easter as a kid, was always spent on the Boardwalk. One dollar was all that was needed to enjoy a few hours of rides and junkfood. Of course, it would be in a frilly nylon dress and white patent leather shoes. As we got a little older, the frilly dress was replaced with slacks and little flat shoes. That was in the sixties when Easter on the boards was the perfect place to meet "boys." Living in a Tourist area, always was the BEST.

But 14 years ago on April 12, I lost my father. That was in 1995. Poor ole Pa, as I called him. He was 87 when he died. Actually, he was in good health and still working every day. He said he wanted to work right into the millenium. Unfortunately, he didn't make it. It was a couple of thugs that cut his working life short by mugging him in his parking garage booth where he worked. It was all downhill after that. He tried to go back, but only made it for a few more weeks. And then his health began to fail. Poor ole Pa, he was a good man. Never drove a car, never smoked a cigarette or drank. I used to pass him on the avenue, when I was on the bus coming home from grade school. He would be walking, on his way in town to work, and I could see his lips moving as he walked. Only I and he knew that he was saying his Rosary as he walked.

In those last few days of his life, he lapsed into a deep sleep that the visiting nurse said was near to the end. Of course, we called the Priest, and as he was giving Pa his Last Rites, he woke up. "Whats the Priest doing here?" he asked. "Oh, well Pa, tomorrow is Palm Sunday so he just came to visit." "Well, I could go for a good cup of coffee." And so he did. Pa sat out on the sunporch, with his cup of coffee and did his last crossword puzzle. And I still have that puzzle. When he was tired enough, he went back to his bed and never got up. Three days later, he passed away. That was 14 years ago on April 12. Poor ole Pa, he never bothered anybody.