I REMEMBER DAD

CEICEL R. BUSBY
1900-1960

I remember Dad when I was just a little older than six.

I remember Dad when he would rock me and sing to me in his own way.

I remember Dad when he would make noodle soup and hang the home made noodles from string he had tied up in the kitchen. From corner to corner.

I remember Dad Christmas how he always made sure that us kids had nice things.

I remember Dad how he always made sure we minded our manners, yes sir to men, and yes mam to ladies.

I remember Dad the way he would look at you when you did something wrong - you’d wish he would have hit you instead.

I remember Dad when he would shave and us kids would stand around watching him, trying to make the same “faces” he would make.

I remember Dad when one of us kids would bust our heads open, how he would patch us up and, with a friendly little tap on the bottom say “OK” go do it again.

I remember Dad when if he’d spot somebody two or three bocks away and holler – “Hey, how ya doin, you old so and so”.

I remember Dad when he and my sister Millie, would play “Johnny Commando” the way they would scream and holler, like a couple of Indians.

I remember Dad when Sunday came, he made sure we all made it to Mass even if he didn’t.

I remember Dad during the 2nd World War, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt died, he cried hard, and I did not understand why.

I remember Dad as being hard of hearing but don’t try to fool him, he heard - his own way.

I remember Dad at the beginning of summer, he would cut all the hair off our heads then, till it grew in he would say jokingly, “brush the hair out of your eyes”.

I remember Dad when you sat down to eat supper, or any meal, you said Grace before eating, and while you were eating there was no fooling around.

I remember Dad when you came in late for supper you didn’t go out the rest of the evening or if you came in after supper – strait up to bed without any supper - and mom would “sneak” something up later Thank God!

I remember Dad after supper when he would talk about some of the things he did as a boy, or one of the things he did with the guys he worked with and all us kids were fascinated.

I remember Dad when he would be talking on the old upright phone to a man named Harry and how every-one would laugh when he would talk about Harry’s son Thunder.

I remember Dad the time my brother Bill came home late one night not knowing Mom rearranged the living room furniture; putting the couch that my Dad slept on under the window. It seems Bill, sneaking in the window, stepped right in Dad’s face!!

I remember Dad the way he would embarrass Mom, by walking in on one of her card parties wearing his dirty old, work clothes, one of Mom’s hats, and carrying one of her hand bags.

I remember Dad when he had too much to drink and he would make everyone talk about him; but when he was not drinking he was the best guy.

I remember Dad when in the winter months he would fire up the old coal furnace so hot you had to go outside to cool off.

I remember Dad when he would get up in the morning, bright and early, singing and talking to himself, always so cheerful; and you could hear him by the sink where the big dresser mirror hung as he’d say to himself, “Good Morning Cecil, ya old so and so”.

I remember Dad when company would come; he would get out the old box camera and go out in the yard. Dad would start performing, making everyone laugh, and have Mom take his picture.

I remember Dad when my sister Millie got married how he cried and wished her lots of happiness and the same when my sister Jean got married, more tears and wishes for happiness.

I remember Dad the time of my birthday when I thought he forgot. All Day I waited for a gift and finely that evening, down the hill he came, with a ball and bat behind him.

I remember Dad when a couple of us boys would lie down beside him in the evening and listen to radio “spook” shows- “The Shadow”, “Inner Sanctum”, and “The Green Hornet”.

I remember Dad the many times he would tease my brother Jim, about his eating habits. Many times when Jim sat down to eat a bowl of cereal, he would use a big bowl, and Dad would run down the cellar and get him a shovel, and everyone would laugh – even Jim (sometimes).

I remember Dad during the Korean War how he would have us all (those not married or in the army) kneeling around the couch, praying the Rosary. And there would be Dad, God love him, with prayer in his heart and sleep on his mind, sleeping like a little kid.

I remember Dad when my brother Dave would be falling asleep on the living room floor, watching T.V. Dad would “holler” for him to go to bed, and he would get up and cry and Dad would sit back and laugh.

I remember Dad when he and Mom would stand my sister Millie and her husband Norm in a good hard game of 500 bid.

I remember Dad when he would go out and drink and get “beyond feeling good” as the saying goes, but we always had a meal on the table; we never went hungry.

I remember Dad the first time I visited him with my Navy uniform on; and how he cried when he saw me, He didn’t want me to see him cry, so he told me to be still a minute, while he went to the kitchen.

I remember Dad as an Ironworker who helped build some of the older buildings here in Pittsburgh back in the 20’s and 30’s.

I remember Dad when us kids would see him drinking, he’d say “this stuff is nodamn good” and down to the belly it would go.

I remember Dad as a God-fearing man who always saw to it that we said our night prayers. Dad worried about us kids, but I was too young and not smart enough to know it.

I remember Dad the times he and mom had their disagreements and we were split up for a little bit but not long. Then things started to happen.

I remember Dad when we went to California and he went with us to the train depot and how he stood watching the train leave and I watched till I saw him no more for 7 years.

I remember Dad the time he saved my brother’s baby’s life by mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

I remember Dad as hardly ever having the same color shoelaces in his big work shoes.

I remember Dad the way he always looked real sharp when dressed up.

I remember Dad, the way he would whistle when he put in his false teeth.

I remember Dad how he would sit in the kitchen after he had too much to drink and everyone was in bed, He’d sit and talk to himself.

I remember Dad the way he would throw his big ironworker hand in the air and with a big friendly, toothless grin, would say “Hi”.

I remember Dad, the time our dog, Midge, had pups, and good-hearted Dad put his face down to feel the soft fur of the puppies, and almost got his lip ripped off.

I remember Dad when he had a lot of change in his pockets and would lay down on the old couch, act like he was sleeping and let us kids roll him back and forth and get this change, only to have to give it to Mom.

I remember Dad when the only ball players he ever worried about were Hank Greenburg, Stan Rojack, Tiny bottom, and later on, good old Ralph Kiner.

I remember Dad, how he would get all excited when he would hear, “Raise the window Aunt Minne, here it comes,” and she never made it.

I remember Dad, the way he would play baseball with us kids, and catch the hard pops at first, bare-handed.

I remember Dad the time I was in the hospital with bad kidneys – everybody was there - Mill and Norm, Jean and Lou, Bill and Peg, Mom, My wife, and 2 brothers. As Dad was leaving, after visiting me, little did I know that when he said good-bye, it was for the last time.

Yes, I remember my Dad. The good, the bad, and all the things he did for people and to people. But most of all I remember my Dad as a Man. My Dad saved lives. My Dad loved his kids, God knows he did. Even today, I smile remembering some of the things he did. Dad was a good God fearing man and I thank God I am a lot like him, in some ways today.

By Rick Busby
AKA
Smacky the Clown

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