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I remember my baby boy. I remember feeding him and I remember his sweet little laugh every time I tickled under his chin. I miss reading him the funnies and showing him the colorful pictures afterwards.
I remember we used to listen to the radio as the wife washed dishes. My lap was a horsey and he would dutifully ride as "The Lone Ranger" trickled out of the Crosley.
"Hi-Ho, Silver!!" he'd laugh, and I would always pretend to be Tonto.
I remember East Coast weekends at Coney Island and the Jersey shore. My baby boy would build the biggest sand castle he could muster only to push me into it. He'd giggle as it crumbled and I would wipe sand from my trunks.
I remember getting him ice cream on hot summer nights. The two of us would share a large cone while the misses devoured a lemon ice. He'd skip a few paces in front, as the three of us walked home.
As I sit up in my wheelchair, I find an odd comfort that my baby boy is now the one who's feeding me. The wife has been long gone and these days there's not much left that's working inside of me. I can't say much but I can certainly hear my boy remind me of our life.
But then it gets fuzzy all over again.
"I'll be back tomorrow, pop..." is the last thing I hear every night.
I remember my baby boy...
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Very sweet. Not much better than ice cream on a hot night.
ReplyDeleteDown south where I'm from it was a big deal to go to town on Saturday nights and watch a ball game. Hardball just like the big leagues. In fact my Uncle Dickieboy had for a short time played in the bigs, but he tore his knee up and ended playing for the Carrsville Green Wave amateur team. We'd watch the game in the sweltering night. Watch the big old moths fly around the lights. And after, we'd all stop by the ice cream place and have a cone. I still remember how shocking cold the first lick was on the tip of my tongue. I remember the family gathered. And the sweat down my back. And how good the ice cream tasted. Thanks for bringing that all back.
ReplyDeleteThis was very sweet and a poignant reminder of time passing and yet a certain happiness floats through it all as he remembers that ice cream and his baby boy.
ReplyDeleteWritten beautifully!
you are a big softeee is all ant.. love first person tomes..and "funnies"
ReplyDeleteFantastic job, Anthony. Who COULDN'T read that and flash back to childhood. A touching turn of events at the end. Nice.
ReplyDeleteTears welling up at the end... geez, Anthony, that was simply beautiful. Your writing makes Jersey sound like a place I want to live - so much so, you oughta be a poster boy for the state's tourism department.
ReplyDeleteHow I wish I had my own memories of the Jersey Shore.
Masterful.
A departure for you, but you hit all the right notes once again, Ant. This was sweet and sad, but not too much of either. Just perfect.
ReplyDeleteVery nice read... nice flow. Well written as always.
ReplyDeleteThis wouldn't have anything to do with spending some time with the kids, would it Ant? Very sweet, unusual work for the Basement.
ReplyDeleteStunning heart-tug here Ant, just...stunning. You should explore this side of yourself further.
ReplyDeleteThat's beautiful, Anthony. Poignant and well-delivered. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteVery poignant. Completing the circle of life and reinforcing the good memories.
ReplyDeleteEverything does come full circle, doesn't it? That's why legacy matters. If he'd been a rotten Dad his baby boy would only turn up after the funeral to crush a cigarette on his coffin and flip him the bird. Lol.
ReplyDeleteIt was very sweet, Ant. :)
very touching.
ReplyDeleteI hope any kids I may have in the future think of me just as fondly.
poignant, I didn't see that coming. Mine is about the last throes of life too this week
ReplyDeletemarc nash
...and history repeats itself (hopefully) as the boy grows up to sit in the chair...
ReplyDeleteVery well-written; thought-provoking.
Once a man, twice a child. Great flash, very touching and a good dose of reality. I remember doing some of those things with my dad.
ReplyDeleteYou tell a great story.
ReplyDeleteAww, what goes around comes around. I like it when you get all sentimental. Those sideburns must be growin' back. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis made me smile. Sweet without being sticky sweet, and perfectly dreamlike.
ReplyDeleteThat's great. I really love how you told it, pulled it all together, but did not over due any of it. Great balance between description and emotion, with movement of the story. I really enjoyed this one.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Kwee
Kwee Writings
This is so touching - I love generational writing like this, and the spin on the father and son relationship. Very well done.
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