What a great vison of Ted. You put him in our rooms to remember, pray, laugh, until its our turn to join him.. Thanks for the tear.
I do remember one of the many times we were pretty buzzed, we were sitting in this shed out behind Darlene's trailer. Pinner was goofing around with gun powder, Ted and I tried to get him to stop but he kept messing around until the mixture blew up in his face. It burned his glasses, put pits in them, surface burns on his face, but luckily he did not lose an eye. We did some pretty dumb things all of us together.
Ted did not like to judge other people, he would laugh about crazy things people would do, but I don't think he ever looked down at anyone. In my humble opinion and experience holding back judgement of others is very admirable. In my 64 years on earth I can only count 2-3 people like this, all of them were spiritual not religious.
On this day, I envision you sitting in your own music room, with shaggy carpet, a very ugly Lazy Boy, a huge record player and countless speakers. I imagine you sitting with Riley and Smokey on your lap. I see Gram near by, watching the Wild on TV. I see you with a healthy heart, no diabetes no “blonde” hair (as you said), I see the old you so full of life, so healthy, with eyes that could brighten any room. I envision this as your heaven. Please know that you are missed every moment of everyday. But please also know that I know you are around. I will love and miss you until I can see you again.
When I was a kid the only way I knew about your dad (Glen) was through stories. It’s extremely painful, as the days go by, and my kids speak less and less about their papa. I know the memories of you are fading to them. Stories will also be all my children will have of their papa. It’s hard for me to not feel like they were robbed of so many more precious memories they should have had with you.
I still haven’t fully processed that you are gone. It just feels like I haven’t hang out with you in a long while. I think my own mind is protecting me from the absolute devastation that I will never get a message saying “listen to this song” or just random lyrics to a song we know. I can’t believe you will never share another musical artist for me to obsess over until you send me a new one. It’s impossible that I will never ride passenger again, and have you say “I bet I will know the song on the radio” as I flip it on and start using the steering wheel as a drum.
Everyone says they had the best dad ever. But I really did. I was so fortunate to have you as a stay at home dad. You brought me breakfast in bed, for years. You picked me up and used my tummy as a guitar. You watched every solo dance performance I put on in the music room for you. You rushed me to the sink when you told me not to touch the hot stove- and I did. You made it so I could touch the Stanley Cup and meet the Minnesota Wild. You took me to see Paul, Bruce, The Stones, Beach Boys and more. You took me on random adventures. Like waking me up one day and telling me you booked motor kayaks for us for the day, that was a blast. The movies and history you shared with me will be remembered forever.
As I got older and more self sufficient you became my best friend and I didn’t even realize it was happening. We stayed up so many last nights just chatting. You had the best stories, dad. Hearing your teenage adventures and the life you lived before being a dad could have been made into a movie. So many laughs we shared. I miss your laugh. The way your eyes closed, and the wrinkles around your eyes creased, and your deep belly laugh contagiously made me laugh the same way.
Once in one of our deep conversations you told me how no one needed you any more, that your kids were grown. I realize now more than ever exactly how much I need you and have always needed my dad. I needed you when I crashed my car the day after getting my license. I needed you when I was young, pregnant, and scared and your “oh Al, it’ll be ok, it’s a good thing” comforted me. I needed you when we lost Grandma. I still need you dad.
I lost a piece of myself when Grandma died, I lost a piece when Rocky died, and I lost the biggest piece of all losing my dad. But, the pieces feel a little fuller when Adalee wears the AHS shirt you gave her. When Aycen smiles and I see his Anderson eyes. When I hear myself saying “see, see what happens” to my kids - like you did to me. I wish you were here to see them grow up. But, I will make sure that they know who you are.
He did get busted. I drove our mom to get him at the jail that night. I think some of the others got their driver’s licenses suspended, but because Ted wasn’t old enough to have a driver’s license, he was not allowed to get one until a year or two later. Good thinking not to go to the kegger that night:)
I don't know where to begin when it comes to my friend Ted. We started being friends when he was about 14 and I was 15. Because the kids in my grade were mostly uptight and basically not very nice, I was drawn to the grade below me where is seemed like most of the kids were more real (Hippies?) We had a large group of crazy friends that truly enjoyed partying, laughing, being stupid, rocking and rolling etc. In many ways most of what we did was centered around the next keg party. In fact I remember one stretch where there was a keg every night for over two weeks straight at Hickory Pine on the left side on top of the hill. Big firepit. The one night I decided to stay home it got busted, not sure if Ted was there but most everyone was. These parties had a large cross section of people from different age groups. These ones at Hickory pine were put on by an older guy who had been a Vietnam Vet. (Cannot remember his name, he had a pockmarked face and lived on I believe Qualudes.) I remenber people saying the police chased them into the woods, I don't think anyone was arrested. The police were usually just breaking up the parties and sending us home. I will continue to add stories where Ted was part of the craziness. Peace to all.
I do remember one of the many times we were pretty buzzed, we were sitting in this shed out behind Darlene's trailer. Pinner was goofing around with gun powder, Ted and I tried to get him to stop but he kept messing around until the mixture blew up in his face. It burned his glasses, put pits in them, surface burns on his face, but luckily he did not lose an eye. We did some pretty dumb things all of us together.
Ted did not like to judge other people, he would laugh about crazy things people would do, but I don't think he ever looked down at anyone. In my humble opinion and experience holding back judgement of others is very admirable. In my 64 years on earth I can only count 2-3 people like this, all of them were spiritual not religious.