Daddy's Laughter

Daddy loved to laugh! He laughed at you, with you, and he often made you laugh, too! Think about the time that you spent with Daddy. Remembering the times that he made you laugh? Today I will share a just a few memories about Daddy, laughing, and shopping. I hope you will leave comments about your shopping experiences with Daddy. We would all love to share in your memories.

Shopping

Shopping was always a grand adventure with Daddy because you knew it would be full of little surprises. Moments that would be beyond your control that you didn't want to miss and knew you would laugh about it for years to come! One of the special ways he liked to begin was often used when entering the first store of the outing. He had the ability to trip over nothing and make a spectacle of himself and everyone with him.:) We all endured the looks of people around us as he would point, at nothing, and proclaim loudly he just couldn't believe they would leave something like that on the floor! Then he would draw you in by asking you questions. Did you see it? Can you believe they would be so careless? Then he would walk around the object that was not there and point at it repeatedly. By this time every person that entered the store behind you had looked, and you have to admit that you had looked, too. Then somehow you would find your self pointing to the invisible item and saying there is nothing there, come on, let's go! Then people looked at you like why aren't you helping him, he must need help. Just when you were sure a store manager would appear he would straighten up and tell you to quit fooling around and walk away from the offending spot to complete his shopping. His tripping over nothing ability was used in many locations outside of stores. Flea markets, restaurants, sidewalks, and anywhere in his travels that a crowd of people would have the chance to stop and stare!

Daddy almost always put on after shave before he went out on errands. However, if he didn't then watch out. Smelling good while shopping was a must therefore, while shopping he inevitably would come to the bottles of aftershave and you knew he was going to test the scents! He would carefully look at the bottles and then remark on the one that he seemed to like that day. I would simply say "Daddy!" repeatedly because I knew he was going to open the the box and then unscrew the top of the bottle! He would comment on the scent and then dab some on his finger and put it on his face! Satisfied, he would put it back and say,"They'll never miss it." or "They'll never know." I was always mortified, which would explain why he did it so frequently. I apologize to all those men that were missing the last drop of after shave in their bottle. Rest assured it was put to good use!

Daddy also had a way of making me speechless, literally! I can't begin to count the number of times he would say something I would be rendered speechless which he always would use to his advantage. Imagine that! He would get so tickled after he had done it until we were both laughing until we cried. One such occasion was in KMart of all places. We had just be through his hunchback dragging of the leg experience, more on this later. We were both making a concerted effort to get serious again. We both had something to purchase and he went first. Next, as the sales girl rang up my order and I got out my coins to give her exact change he announced that I didn't speak English!!!!! Now any normal daughter would simply say of course I speak English stop teasing the poor sales clerk. However, as everyone knows, Daddy had a way of stumping my normal abilities. So in that surreal moment I was literally speechless. I stood there staring at him and the clerk in shock that he would say something so outlandish. The clerk smiled at me in an exaggerated way counted out the coins she needed from my out stretched hand. She then handed my bag to me and said slowly and loudly to have a nice day. Now how that would have helped me understand her had I only spoken Spanish I'll never know.

Finally, as we were walking out the automatic doors my voice magically returned. I turned to Daddy and hit him on the arm. I speak English and Daddy's reply was "I know, but she doesn't!" He laughed so hard his body shook all the way to the car and by that time my sense of humor had kicked in gear and we laughed until we cried.:)

Daddy always wanted to find a bargin no matter what he was shopping for that day. He loved hunting through old stuff to find a treasure. Sometimes it was something specific, yet other times it was just to look and see if what magical item you might need for the future. Once when I was a young I went shopping with Daddy and Mom and I was exhausted from all the looking. We were not finding that special something and I finally asked in a tired voice,"Can't we do it the old fashion way and go to the store and buy it?" That question became a family favorite and was remembered and laughed about on many shopping excursions.

One winter all six family members went shopping together when Jayme was a baby. It had gotten hot in the store we had taken off our coats. Mom was carrying Jayme, so we pilled our coats onto the baby stroller. Some people had passed by and had taken notice of the over loaded stroller. That got Daddy's attention! He walked over to us and in a loud voice said, "Oh no! You have have smothered the baby! Oh the poor baby!" Heads all around us began to turn and look to see who had smothered the baby. People began to move near us so they could get a better look at these horrid people who would pile their winter coats upon a helpless baby in a stroller. No one seemed to notice Mom was holding Jayme and that he was fine. It was so funny that we all started saying poor baby, who put their coat on the baby, or the baby must be very hot as we moved through the store. Everyone looked at the stroller a we passed by checking on that unseen baby. Since this was back in the 70's no one ran to call child services! I am sure we were the topic of dinner conversation that night. :)

There are so many funny memories swimming around in my mind I couldn't begin to blog them all! Some make me smile while others make me laugh out loud. Another day I'll share other stories about being with Daddy, and how he made an ordinary event extraordinary with laughter! Daddy loved to laugh, joke, tease and make others laugh with him. I hope you're smiling now as an old forgotten memory has popped into your mind. Quick before you lose it make a comment on this post and share it with his other family and friends. God blessed us when he created us with the ability to laugh and again when he allowed Daddy to touch our lives with his laughter!

Love,

Mich