CHARISMATIC MEGAFAUNA

By Quiconque

Eulogy

My father died suddenly last Saturday morning, October 16, 2004.

He was a most indulgent father. I don't remember him every saying "no" to me. He would often get exasperated at me for springing things on him at the last minute, but, if I asked him for something, he always found a way to give me what I wanted.

He was a very proud father. Although I am often disappointed in myself, my father always delighted in my achievements, however small. He beamed with pride when I landed my current part-time teaching post. He could not contain his joy when I finally passed my driving test.

For me, my dad will forever be associated with driving. When I was a baby, he would drive me around the neighborhood to get me to sleep. As I grew older, we'd spend ever Saturday morning together, listening to jazz on the radio while he worked on the car in front of our apartment building. When I started working, my dad drove me to the office every morning. We would talk about the office, current events, and popular culture. It was during these daily drives that I finally began to get to know my dad as a person.

Most recently, as documented elsewhere, my dad helped me practice for my road test. I had suspected that he was going to buy me a car sometime this year once I passed. Well, now I have his car, and when I drive it (and I have been driving it a lot since his death, shuttling friends and family back and forth) I think of him, and thank him for his love, patience and generosity.

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