Today is Father’s Day.
And when you’re lucky enough to have an awesome dad like mine, it’s definitely worth celebrating.
Now, I know I’ve gone out of my way to brag about how awesome my dad in the past. And I’ve no intention to stop bragging. Why should I? My dad is just that great. And I will never hesitate to celebrate, honor, and thank him for being the best dad a guy like me could ask for. So many of my best traits come directly from my dad and how he raised me.
Today, I just happen to have a better excuse than usual to celebrate how great he is. And I’m happy to take advantage of it.
I know he occasionally reads this site. So, I like to make sure I properly articulate how much I love him and how grateful I am for all that he’s done for me. There’s so much I could talk about for my dad. There are the times he helped me while I was struggling in school, when I was a moody teenager, and when I had a bad attitude problem during my less-than-successful little league baseball career.
I could probably write entire books on certain phases of my life and how my dad was so instrumental. But in the interest of keeping this from running too long, I’ll highlight just one that I still remember fondly to this day. I’m not sure if he remembers this. But if he does, I hope it brings him the same joy it still brings me.
This particular incident happened when I was around four years old. My dad was working a construction job at the time. And my mother happened to have the day off. So, she took me to McDonald’s, which was always a treat for me. I remember getting a happy meal and a toy, which was enough to make any kid’s day back then. However, the toy wasn’t what stands out the most.
What made that trip to McDonald’s so memorable was that the burger had a pickle in it. My parents know I hate pickles and I always ask that they be removed from my burger. This time, they forgot. But I didn’t realize that until my mother drove by the construction site my dad was working at to say hi. This was not unusual. And he often dropped by to greet us and take a break.
But this time, when we drove by, I started crying because I found a pickle in my burger. Now, this is one of those moments that could either ruin a day or make it great. My parents, being the awesome people they are, found a way to make it great for all the right reasons.
Just as we drove up and started chatting, my dad saw the pickle in the burger. He saw me crying and complaining, as most four-year-olds do over minor things. So, without missing a beat, he just took the burger, took out the pickle, and threw the pickle across the construction site as hard as he could. He then turned back to me, smiled, and gave me back the burger.
To this day, I still remember how much I laughed and smiled at that. My mom started laughing too. It was simple, playful gesture from a man who was working an arduous job. But he still had the energy and the heart to make me smile.
As a result, that particular McDonald’s burger was extra tasty. And I have my dad to thank for that.
In the years that followed, we drove by that site frequently. It ultimately became a shopping center that still stands to this day. And whenever we passed by, my mom and I would point out the exact spot where my dad threw the pickle. And I would always smile at that memory.
That’s just one of many memories of my dad that I cherish. Today, I hope others can recount and celebrate similar memories. I know not everyone is lucky enough to have an awesome dad like mine. But that just makes me appreciate him even more.
So, to my wonderful father and all the other amazing father’s out there, I wish you a very Happy Father’s Day!
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