Back on Father's Day 1994, a friend and myself set out on a Sunday afternoon with really nothing to do, so we drove toward the hills, as the weekend before we drove toward the ocean. We ended up at Barrow Pass, where deciding that it would be a grand bit of fun, we walked into Monte Cristo, 4 miles beyond the gate on the road. My friend referred to this little adventure as the death march of nature, as it was about 80 degrees and we did not have any water with us. Ah what a good time.
Anyway before we set out on our walk we stopped for lunch at a cafe in Robe, it was here that my fondest Father's Day memory occurred. The cafe had two parts, a bright diner-like front area with a few booths and a counter and the beyond that a darker dining room area. We were sat in the diner-like area in a booth, the only other people in the front were a young family; a husband, wife and two young boys. They were enjoying a Father's Day lunch. It was all rather uneventful until the young family got up to leave, because at that very moment an ancient man, probably pushing 90 years old walked into the diner area from the dining room on his way to the door. The mother of the two boys, told them to say hello to the old man, so they did and it was then, one of life's indelible moments occurred. Because the old man, in a perfect grumpy old man voice, said to the young boys, "Die before you get old, pray you die before you get old!" And then continued walk toward the door. My friend didn't hear the old man's statement, but I did and so did the young family, who looks as if somebody was beating kittens in front of them. As for me, it took everything to not choke on my Roast Beef sandwich. So in honor of that day and that grumpy ancient human pictures from the death march of nature.
Enjoy & Happy Father's Day
Dan
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