It's Not What Your Parents

I Remember Going On Carriage Rides With Dad When We'd Visit. I Think Quiet L.a. Suited Him Better, But He Loved To See Shows Here, He Loved To Visit His Friends In The Hamptons.

I'm Sure There Was Some Part Of His Soul Was Intrinsically Happy, But He Probably Had To Go Through Some Permutations To Really Get That To Blossom. I'm Sure Dad Had His Challenges, But I Think That Joy Was There From The Beginning And He Had To Find A Way To Make His Life Support That And Express That.

It's Something He Used To Say When He Was Happy. It Could Be A Very, Very Simple Day. We Might Be Sitting Out On The Front Lawn. Dad Loved Classical Music And We Might Be Listening To Some Stravinsky Or Something And Having Some Tea And Eggs. And He'd Say, 'oh, Good Stuff, Isn't It?'

Dad Somewhat Enjoyed Being Called Gay. He Said It Made Women Want To Prove The Assertion Wrong.

The Grief Of Losing My Father Has Come In Waves Over The Years, As It Does With Most People. His Love And Devotion As A Father Provided My Closest, Most Intimate Relationship. Dad, And Our Time Together, Is In My Bones. While Reflecting On Him, The Memories Themselves Seem To Boil Down Into Certain 'essences Of Dad.'