Happy Birthday, Frankie!

Today, You Would Be Sixty-Six.

Today we would likely go on a hike or to the beach - you sporting your “lifeguard hat” and a smile and most likely your “UCSB Dad” shirt

.

Today we would get to celebrate another year around the sun. Today you would blow out your candles and smile up at us afterwards.

Today you would wake up and go for a run. Today you would play your guitar extra loud.

Today I would say “Happy Birthday, Daddy-o” and you would undoubtedly respond “Thanks, daughter.” Today we would shower with you attention, but not too much - you never liked to be the center of attention.

Today you’d pick a fancy restaurant for dinner and blush when the server would bring over a dessert with a candle.

Today you would make a wish…

But instead, you are not here.

And you haven’t been for so long.

I miss you everyday, but especially today, Dad. Especially on a day where we would get to celebrate you. So instead, I will do what you told me and thats to “accept the good” and share some gold nuggets of wisdom that you passed down to me. Your Frankie'-isms are just too good not to.

So without further ado….

“A (Ongoing) List of Facts + Frankie-isms”

• “If he’s not nice to the busboy, he’s not going to be a keeper”

• Frankie used to name everything. I mean Every.Thing. He called himself Mr. Ocean Summer Fun” as soon as it hit June. He was friends with a group of neighbors - he donned them the “Garden Club” because they all kept their lawns pristine. We’d pull up next to someone at a red light and he’d name them. I mean, I think you get the point.

• “Only you can control you.”

• If he was really mad (and I could count those times on one hand), the right side of his mouth would twitch.

• He drove with two feet because “who wouldn’t…????”

• I had five rules growing up:

  • Be Sweet

  • Sleep in Your Own Bed (I was a proponent of the family bed and now that I’m a mom, I see why my mom was not!)

  • Eat Good Food

  • Try your Best

  • Tell the Truth

• “College is not an option” (It was a must)

• He hated surprises

• He was colorblind and couldn’t see Red, Green or Blue.

• “You can tell alot about someone by looking at how well they keep up their car.”

• He could listen to a song and then play it on the piano.

• …but he had zero rhythm - basically 2 left feet.

• He took pride in his work and was top producer in real estate multiple years in a row.

• “Don’t make things harder than they have to be”

• He was asleep almost every night by 8:30 when I was a teen.

• He was a butcher.

• “Don’t ever let anyone treat you like a piece of meat.”

• He was terrified of flying.

• ‘Feeling proud and peaceful are two of the best feelings out there.”

• He always drank milk with dinner (no matter what we were having).

• His dream was to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef

• His soul was pure and his outlook on life was rare. He was a generally happy person and liked to see the good. He was the best dad a girl could possibly ask for.

Today, I will make the boys an “Apu Surprise” and we will sing happy birthday to you.

Today I will remember just how lucky I am to be your daughter and i’ll recall the birthdays we’ve celebrated together. Both mine and yours.

Today I will smile knowing you are free.

Today and always I will lean my heart as close to your soul as I can.

Happy Birthday, Daddy-o. I love you as big as the sky.

Xx,
R