224 Today I'm Remembering Daddy

My dad passed, transitioned, whatever you want to call it, six years ago today.  I was having a little resistance celebrating this fact with my family members today.  My aunt is the gatekeeper for our family.  At 80 when she 'transitions' what will happen?  When I told her I didn't think I could make it she replied, "please..." and my heart melted.  In the melting process some sadness for my daddy seeped in.  I found myself crying sitting in the second pew of the church that he and his brothers and sisters grew up in.  I looked around at all the reminders of him, his two grand-nephews were the light torch boys (can't remember the word), nieces singing in the the choir.  I motioned to my cousin Rhonda who is a trustee and rock of the church for a tissue. "You got a stuffy nose?"  I poked my lip out.  Daddy was all around yet missing.  My mother stood up to give greetings and seemed particularly playful.  Not a usual characteristic of hers. My father was the jester of the two.  He took unusual joy in embarrassing his family members at events like this.  At one "Rochester Church Day" in his yearly introduction of 10 brothers and sisters and their children and children's children, he mused at a 'new' cousin.  "Oh you a new one!" As the church rustled and cousins looked around at the offspring of a brothers discretion that was being introduced to the church at the same time they were being introduced to the family.  Or he would have me stand and make some snide comment about how he was taking applications for duly employed sons or nephews of church members on my behalf.   My mother stood a little unsteady at first and leaned on the pew in front of her for support.  She started with, "I am the former widow of Bishop Enoch B Rochester" 'Former widow?' I watched her and wondered what would emerge from her lips next.  She went on talking about how she loved the church that had raised her husband and how kind they were and what she said next had me awestruck.  "...And this is my daughter and she needs a husband, so if anyone can help...."  The church erupted in laughter as I shook my head.  My father somehow managed to take hold of my mothers mouth and give a dig to me to let me know, he is and always will be with me.