Friday, June 19, 2009

Happy Father's Day

Dearest Daddy Maddy,
For as long as I can remember when I have asked you what you want for a holiday your answer has been the same: something unique, handmade, just a little something one-of-a-kind and priceless and then you smile and I give up and get you a book or a cactus or that one time I bought you a framed rattlesnake skeleton, never a tie because you are not a tie kind of dad. No, you are not a golf tee dad, or a dad who would like an 18" model of a Chris Craft boat. You are a dad that defies magazine editorials in June. Gifts for the sporty dad, gifts for the hipster dad! Taupe socks and signed photos of whoever played the Superbowl. Shit. You are not a dad for which one can just buy shit, the shit at the cash wrap of the store in the mall that somebody in an air-conditioned office decided months ago would sell for Father's Day. You are not that dad.
You are this dad:
My dad: A dad who cuts a fine figure in a tony sheath avec pailletes, a dad who can do one-armed pull ups with his tattooed bicep. A dad with the most absurd sense of humor, a kind dad, a smart dad, a dad who talks to me about string theory and spit, a dad who still throws his arm across me at a crosswalk so I won't get hit by a car, who won't let me pull the blade out of his Swiss army knife for fear that I may hurt myself. You are my Daddy Maddy, (although I think you gave yourself that moniker as I don't remember ever calling you by that name), and I certainly hope you are the type of dad that won't kill me for posting this picture. But honestly, I think this is my favorite photo of you, the slight sadness in your eyes. The way you feel the brevity, the heavy weight of living, the contradiction of joy, and yet refuse to take it all too seriously. The way you pull off that hat with your beard, the curve of your wrist just like my own. Happy Father's Day Dad: I think you would agree--this photo is unique, the staging handmade, the sentiment one-of-a-kind, and the posting of it? Priceless.
I love you,
Your daughter, Blam
*Dear Reader: I believe this photo was taken after my grandmother passed away. That's my frocked father on the left, my uncle on the right. I think they were going through her stuff and this was their way of dealing with the grief. If only I knew what happened to this dress because it is perfection.

16 comments:

Zakary said...

So, so rad.

Weitzell4 said...

and it fit him perfectly!

Judy said...

I too love this photo of your Dad but am pretty sure some pain relief drug sharing may have been involved.Aside to HEJ...That just reminded me....Edgar, do you remember us trying to kill that huge rat that had set up residence in your closet on Scenic by pouring out a dish of Morphine Syrup left over from your Mom's illness? How we laughed about the rat telling every other rat in the area to come on over, the J.'s are serving up Morphine at their house! It didn't work and it took us weeks and many more bizarre extermintion plans before it met it's demise.) And, damn, where is that dress, it's fantasic....not stashed in the back of your closet is it, Edgar?

Joking aside, Happy Father's Day, HEJ! No one could say it better than Susannah (except maybe you). No ties or colognes for you-you always were a complete bitch to buy presents for because no one could ever sum up or use a catchy description, not for you. And aren't we all glad! You continue to be an amazingly talented, wonderfully kind and loving Dad and friend. So if finding a short tag line or the right present for you is impossible, none of us would ever want it differently because we all love the strange and wonderful, indescribable person you are. No one could ever know our incredible children, Andy and Susannah, and not recognize that their Dad must also be pretty special as well! Happy Father's Day!
Judy/Mom

Anonymous said...

priceless indeed. :)

Black Dog Salvage said...

keep the pictures rolling... this one is definitely a keeper - happy father's day to your dad and bryan!

mamadearest said...

ok...now I have to be addicted to you and your blog.:) Good job!

Unknown said...

S-U-S-A-N-N-A-H !!!

Such shameless promotion of your memoir, "Running With Hedge Clippers."

How dare you catch me without earrings and white gloves.

I love you, anyway,

Daddy Maddy

Maggie May said...

So very rad- I second zakary.

mosey (kim) said...

Your dad has excellent posture. Impressive....

Sheila said...

Okay, okay -- Susannah, I have been lurking on your blog for several months now, every now and then wanting to speak up but thinking it's kind of weird for your Dad's ex-girlfriend to join the party. But now, I have no choice. I have been startled off my perch and am fluttering around with feathers flying. Eggie, Eggie -- how did you hide this side of you from me for 5+ years?? I mean -- look at you! I am stunned by your regal carriage, your dignified but somewhat disdainful look, your utter ability to totally WEAR that dress. I stand back. Eggie, I never really knew you, did I?

Unknown said...

Susannah's readers are so kind. I think I'm ready for a Brazilian now.

Petunia Face said...

Bryan's just lucky I don't have a photo of him in drag, otherwise he'd get the same Father's Day present :)

And Dad? Please no more talk of Brazilians unless of course you are talking about nuts. Wait--no. No talk of nuts either. Gah.

Judy said...

Brainflash or Brainfart, I'm never sure....what about THIS for wild and crazy but tres sophisticated ideas...Susannah, Bry (who loved our Mushroom Haired girl and sprouted many inches to get her...Co-Honoree as a Father despite his Dockers over wetsuit) so sorry Miss Z. too avant bizarro for Minors-though with your black wig and nerd glasses...hummm? Well, let's think about it. Add Sheila,(very funny ex-girlfriend of other Co-Honoree, missing only a few of her tailfeathers) and Eggie, aka, HEJ, Edgar, Eddie-My-Boy and Daddy Maddy (Fashion-forward Co-Honoree and a Father)....and let's not forget Moi, ex-wife,current Friend and Maternal Parental Unit to Sus and Andy Boy. Now we could toss in some other Ex's and my Husband, Allen but why? Our little group is perfect as is...only to be improved by HEJ donning the Pallette'd Sheath and hat. I'm thinking The Garden Room at The Palace for High Tea, a little browse through Neiman's to stock up on our Creme de La Mer and some Slatkin candles, then zip across town to ManiPedi where we'd get our nails and ANY type waxing done(nudge, nudge, wink, wink on the Brazilian, eh)maybe even hand-applied airbrushed tans. Oh, we'd all laugh and laugh as we ended our day at Gary Danko's and a few rounds of non-alcoholic libations. Who's in?
Judy/Mom/Grandma Glitter-perhaps never to be seen again commenting on PF.

Vanessa said...

Wow. A girl like you *has* to have a dad like that :-) Tie dads are boring. Can you guys adopt me?

krista said...

i don't know what's better. the post itself or the comments.
i want to wear that dress while i read these comments.
and get waxed.

Anna said...

That is an amazing picture.