Going Through Memories

Thursday, 19 April 2007

Today was spent at Bernice's house, figuring out the program (by going through Dad's programs of funerals he recently attended), the food, and going through Dad's closets and drawers to box things up and bring things home. Whatever clothes we do not keep we may give away to his homeless friends at the parks he used to work at. Of course, I am keeping most of his things for my children and just for my own memories (but, shhh, don't tell my brother). As my brother will tell you, I inherited my Dad's packrat and sentimental gene.

Among those things I found a stamp of his signature, which gee, I wish Dad had realized he had earlier, or else I wouldn't have had to practice forging his signature all this time! We also took home his collectible fishing reels he bought on EBay (and we may give to his fishing buddies), found some other paraphrenalia he had in his little fishing tackle boxes, and took some of his clothes that remind me of him, especially those Riggers shorts and his UH Alumni volleyball shirts he always wore.

We ate pizza and reminisced about Dad, while Jay poked fun about certain things (proving that guys just are not as sentimental as girls). Bernice gave both Jay and I keys to the house because she still wants us to come and go as we please and be a part of the family. She asked about my maternity leave plans and offered to help out whenever she can.

Dad's Parks and Rec friends Keora and Garry called to let us know that they are in the process of trying to get a plaque made with Dad's name on it to recognize him and have as a permanent fixture on the wall of McCoy Pavilion, his last work post for the Department of Parks and Recreation before he retired due to his diagnosis, at Ala Moana Park. That is really a nice gesture, and Dad would really appreciate it.

When I got home, the Nunokawas (UH Booster Club organizers - basically major volleyball fans over the years) were in the driveway talking to Uncle Gary. They had stopped by to drop of this year's UH Alumni Volleyball game t-shirt for Dad. Even though he couldn't make it this year, they saved one for him. They said they should have dropped by earlier, now that they know he is gone. They only make 50 shirts each year, and they wanted Dad to have one, as he was very helpful in organizing and providing names of past UH alumni that played volleyball over the years, which really helped to get the Alumni games started in the first place. They said that they knew him better as a wonderful man more than an athlete on the court and that he would be missed. I told them how Dad, while he was staying in a Hospice facility a couple of months ago, had me write an email to Kalani Simpson, the sportswriter who wrote a story about him last year. He reminded him about the alumni game and thanked him for writing such a great article about him. He was such a devout and proud University of Hawai'i athlete, and volleyball and sports were his life. I told Bernice tonight, and she said she wishes Dad could have seen their kind gesture before he went, as he really would have appreciated it to know that they still thought of him.

It sure is nice to get emails of stories and kind words from the many people who knew Dad. Tonight, I stopped by Bernice's to borrow Dad's laptop so I can work on the program, and she said that Lindsey (my stepsister) was crying because they (Kamehameha) lost tonight's basketball game to Punahou. She was crying because she said she let John down. Dad was proud of Lindsey, as she was the tomboy athlete daughter he never had. I'm sure Dad's still smiling, looking down on Lindsey, and looking down on all of us.