Goodbye Mr. Bob....rest in peace

Sadness fills my heart....my best friend's Dad has died. He had an aneurysm that burst--they had him on life support for a while, but his system started to shut down and they took him off the vent. I pray he didn't suffer and I rejoice for him, knowing he is now home and at peace.

Mr. Bob was a substitute dad for me in my growing up years--I basically lived in my BBF Theresa's room thru my highschool years--and I called her family mine. "Hello Family" was my standard greeting when I barrelled through the front door of their house. I always felt welcomed there. It was not a big house and the 3 sisters would fight like cats and dogs, but they still loved each other. The things we did in that upstairs dormer would have gotten us killed by a parent anywhere else--but Mr. Bob and Rosebud turned a blind eye to most of our antics--I guess they figured they at least know where we were and that we were not on the streets wrecking havoc.

Mr. Bob was our basketball coach, our softball coach and one of the funniest guys you will have ever met. He loved his 3 daughters and wife, he could be a tough old bastard when he needed to be, but he let most of the crap of the world roll off his back. He was a hard worker, a friend to most everyone and just a good person all around.

I will NEVER forget the sound of his "Dukes of Hazzard" custom horn he had put on his station wagon. When you heard that horn go off, you knew that your ride to practice was coming down the street and your ass better be on the sidewalk and ready to jump in. I think there were a few times that I did a running dash into the back of the wagon and it was still moving! HAHA

Mr. Bob didn't have an easy life, he never finished school and he worked his ass off in the service department at the Medical College--but he made sure his girls got a private catholic education and went on to do better and have better. (2 of the 3 have done just that--the youngest is a trainwreck and has destroyed her life. Mr. Bob was raising his 2 youngest grandkids because "J" is a messed up crack whore--I'm not sure who will take care of them now that he is gone.)

Mr. Bob--thank you for letting me be a part of your family for all those years--for getting me involved in organized sports, for remembering me with the "August Birthday Club" and for being a hard ass on us when you needed too and for letting Theresa and I get away with crap that we shouldn't have. I thought of you so often over the last years and I will miss you very much!

Rest in Peace sweet man....see you on the other side.