growing a 3rd ball - need a hearing aid?
- Thread starter queenlives
- Start date
doug,
it's funny that you bumped this thread - the night before i was telling it to a small group of people and they were laughing so hard i thought they would wet their pants... whataworld.
in reading that post, i can't believe it's been almost 5 years since that happened. pop's coming up on his 85th birthday next month....
thx for the reminder / laugh, doug - it brightened up my morning
I didn't realize how old this thread was. As I'm reading and laughing through it, I come to Len 3.8s post and I grow sad. I suddenly realize how old the post is and how long it has been since we lost a friend.
I can't even explain how odd it is to read his post only to realize that it is not current, and he is no longer with us. Like a ghost...
I can't even explain how odd it is to read his post only to realize that it is not current, and he is no longer with us. Like a ghost...
agreed.
dad passed away two weeks ago today and (at their request) i was telling a few "dad stories" to a close friend earlier this morning and i remembered this post from '05. since the day of this father-son shared moment 
dad and i had a few more that i may share over time.
dad died in his own bed at home of metastatic lung cancer, very peacefully and in comfort, with his 9 year old companion dog by his side ... just as he told the docs he wanted to when he was diagnosed just a month earlier.
a week or two after his diagnosis we were talking and i said, "pop, you have any major regrets about your life?"
"nope, not a one, hal. i've lived much longer and done much better than i'd ever hoped ... i'm ready."
i'm doing my best to feel the same way @ the end of my journey and hope you are, too (and for a good belly laugh, re-read the first post in this thread
dad and i had a few more that i may share over time.dad died in his own bed at home of metastatic lung cancer, very peacefully and in comfort, with his 9 year old companion dog by his side ... just as he told the docs he wanted to when he was diagnosed just a month earlier.
a week or two after his diagnosis we were talking and i said, "pop, you have any major regrets about your life?"
"nope, not a one, hal. i've lived much longer and done much better than i'd ever hoped ... i'm ready."
i'm doing my best to feel the same way @ the end of my journey and hope you are, too
(and for a good belly laugh, re-read the first post in this thread 
dad passed away two weeks ago today and (at their request) i was telling a few "dad stories" to a close friend earlier this morning and i remembered this post from '05. since the day of this father-son shared moment
dad died in his own bed at home of metastatic lung cancer, very peacefully and in comfort, with his 9 year old companion dog by his side ... just as he told the docs he wanted to when he was diagnosed just a month earlier.
a week or two after his diagnosis we were talking and i said, "pop, you have any major regrets about your life?"
"nope, not a one, hal. i've lived much longer and done much better than i'd ever hoped ... i'm ready."
i'm doing my best to feel the same way @ the end of my journey and hope you are, too
My condolences, Hal. Thanks for sharing such wonderful experiences with us... Your father's words about his life are very inspiring and I hope I can live to that.
Prayers for you and and your family =)
My heart and prayers go out to you and the family, Hal. Thanks for reviving this old thread as I was not on Prime in those days and had no idea of the hilarious stories surrounding you and your dad. He seemed like a great man and one who you would expect to say he had no regrets in life.
And, Yes please share with us any stories and thoughts you may remember about dad in the months and years ahead. God Bless.
-Rich
ps. hope to meet up with you and the "boys" somewhere around september
And, Yes please share with us any stories and thoughts you may remember about dad in the months and years ahead. God Bless.
-Rich
ps. hope to meet up with you and the "boys" somewhere around september
thx for the kind words, guys. pop wasn't a "great" man by any stretch (though he *was* a journeyman in 5 different trades but he was **certainly** a character! dad lived his life exactly how he wanted ... i've gotta hand it to him for that.
rich, hope to see you if / when you make it out this way. there's a small chance i may make a cross country lap this year on my scooter and if i head out your way i'll raise my hand well in advance.
best,
hal
but he was **certainly** a character! dad lived his life exactly how he wanted ... i've gotta hand it to him for that.rich, hope to see you if / when you make it out this way. there's a small chance i may make a cross country lap this year on my scooter and if i head out your way i'll raise my hand well in advance.
best,
hal
sitting in a crowded restaurant in august, my father yells outloud to me, "HEY, DID I TELL YOU I WAS GROWING A 3RD BALL?"
(background)
i'm a 52 yr old guy with a father that lost his wife on his 80th b'day in july. he lives in oregon, i live in silicon valley. pop's a "grapes of wrath okie" - dirt poor family migrated from oklahoma during the dustbowl era, were migrant farm laborers... eventually dad joined the navy in wwII and from that became a welder (actually, a journeyman in 4 trades by the time he retired). i'm a software sales professional. we're a bit different
for the past 6 months i've been traveling to oregon to visit. 100% of visiting time was spent in the house with dad and his wife; then just dad. but on my trip in august, i suggested we get out for a bite of food - maybe that nice chinese buffet he used to like. to my great surprise, he says "sounds great"... and we're off.
so we're in this place about 15 minutes and not talking much (since he can't hear well, he's accustomed to yelling cause he seems to think *i* can't hear well, eitherwhen all of a sudden, he says (yelling cause he thinks i'm deaf, too)
"HEY, DID I TELL YOU I WAS GROWING A 3RD BALL?"
i'm telling ya, you could have heard a grain of steamed rice hit each and every plate in the restaurant... people's heads were spinning around to look at us like we were in a scene from the exorcist.
i'm sure i must have shrunk down about 9 inches in my seat. in fact, i tried to bury myself in the stuff on my plate. it didn't work.
"YEAH, I WAS TAKING A SHOWER AND GOD D*MN, I FELT SOMETHING, FELT LIKE A 3RD BALL. YOU EVER DO THAT?"
uh, no sir, never had that happen.
well, as you can imagine, everyone has stopped eating and is leaning over to hear whatever else is gonna be said... i'm not sure why, though, since you could have heard him from cleveland.
"YEAH, SO I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND HE SAID IT WAS JUST A CYST, NOT A BALL. STRANGE, HUH?"
well, wasn't this a special father and son moment... naturally, i was so embarassed i thought i was going to projectile vomit right there on the spot. as fate would have it, everybody went back to eating their meals ("show's over folks, let's keep moving") and we finished ours and left.
as time's gone on, i've been struck how hilarious this was... both to other people who were watching what was happening and to me, too... i will always remember this tender father/son moment.
i'll also remember to get *my* hearing checked and treated as needed to save my son's from the same fate - or not, just to pay them back
today marks the 4th anniversary of my father's passing ... every anniversary i find myself reliving the event -- i can see, smell and hear the sounds of the restaurant and dad's voice -- and sharing the fun / memory with you folks.
cheers,
hal
Thanks for the smile, Hal.
That was hilarious lol
edit: didn't read the last few posts, glad you have great memories with your father.
edit: didn't read the last few posts, glad you have great memories with your father.
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Thanks for sharing Hal!
It's those moments that at the time, one is mortified, but as time passes, you realize how precious it really is.
I totally understand the embarrassment, but you'll likely never see those patrons ever again, and the thought will always bring a smile to your face (probably to those restaurant patrons as well).
Take care.
It's those moments that at the time, one is mortified, but as time passes, you realize how precious it really is.
I totally understand the embarrassment, but you'll likely never see those patrons ever again, and the thought will always bring a smile to your face (probably to those restaurant patrons as well).
Take care.
thx, guys ... glad you appreciate both the humor and the warmth of the situation
Yep , sucks losing your dad. Mine passed 3-1/2 years ago and I still think about him almost every day.
stopping by to copy this post to share with a few friends who haven't heard the story.
i hope everyone is doing well these days.
i hope everyone is doing well these days.
Good story, fun thing to read before bed. Hats off to your dad for good memories and good times.
Did you know:
The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1928.
That means it only took 50 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.
Did you know:
The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1928.
That means it only took 50 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.
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hahaha, yep, that sounds about right!
