Happy 55 Papa! Today, my Papa turns 55. This post, this roast, is for him. Here are a few of the many things I love about him.
- My Papa was born in SoCal in an era of free-loving, music jamming and good surf hunting.
- My Papa can build or fix anything. He is my handiest of men. The process for him usually involves a few choice exclamations, a bit of talking to himself and a pencil tucked behind his ear.
- A few of his nicknames are Big Al, Big Guy, Alvin-o and Alejandro.
- A few of the nicknames he calls me are Punky, Pumpkin and Sweetie-Pie. Mama is Mama-Baby, by the way.
- When I was eight, Papa had me lay Spanish tile for a week. I learned to soak the tiles, dry the tiles, and then position the tiles with the necessary spacers. For my hard labor, come Friday, Papa purchased me the desired $80 rollerblades that no one else had yet. Clearly, I wasn’t great at math or aware of child labor laws. Papa has always been fabulous at demonstrating and teaching a strong work ethic and the value of a hard earned dollar.
- Two years ago, after not riding a bike for 16 years, Papa hopped on a bike and rode 65 miles with me in Mexico. We drank what he calls “golden sodas” (Coronas) from our water bottles as we pedaled along. The ride took almost 7 hours. Not a single complaint was ever made by either of us.
- It’s not uncommon for Papa to cook up a small fiesta in the middle of the day for one of his work crews, just because.
- In the 70’s, Papa played professional football for the LA Rams, the San Antonio Gunslingers and a few other teams. He was the quarterback, the white boy with the big booty, and the ring-leader of shenanigans. What has always impressed me most about “the football days” was that football was simply his job at the time, not his life. The fun stories and the good times remain in Papa’s phenomenal memory.
- My Papa likes to rock out, speak spanglish and eat steaks medium rare. He is a collector of strange things (wood, metal scraps, large pieces of glass) and a creator of artistic construction. Papa is a Beaver, like me. Go Beavs!
- He’s a big guy (6’4!) with an even bigger heart.
