A Visit to My Dad's House

While down in Boca on vacation I decided to drive up to Deltonia Florida to see my father, and spend a couple of day with him. As I walked into his house it struck me that my fathers house looks the same today as it did 14 years ago. Nothing is changed or moved in the house. My mother had pass away years ago and I guess my father wants to keep my mother presents in the house as much as he can. He still keeps some of her clothes in the closet and keeps her purse next to the chair she use to sit in. It's always good to see my father, as we don't get to see each other that much anymore. There was a time that when ever we did get together we would just butt heads constantly. Now as we have gotten older we have both mellowed alot, and we really don't want to spend the short time we have together fighting.

The first thing we did when I got there was to head out to New Smyrna Beach to go to a restaurant called the Fish Camp. It is sort of a rustic place on the inlet, with open windows all around and a lot of junk on the walls and ceiling. The food, mostly seafood, is always fresh and good. This is also the week for motorcycle people, its called Biketober Fest. And there were bikes everywhere. Now twenty years ago my father would not like all these bikers about. But he has mellowed, and the fact that the bikers cause less problem then the spring break crowd is another factor.
Now he doesn't ever mention the baked bean wrestling at some of the bars, which I keep pressing to go see. Any how we had lunch and talked and had a good time together.

The next day I suggested that we go up to Daytona Beach and go through the Nascar Experience. It is a building at the Daytona speedway with all kinds of Nascar crap in side. So off we go to Daytona. We arrive at the track and there is about 10,000 bikers all over the place, but we find a parking spot and enter the Nascar experience. As we entered the building our ears exploded with the sounds of a county rock band playing. All of a sudden my father was zooming around the building just glancing at the exhibits. He could not get out of the building fast enough. The music was just a little to loud. So off we go to have lunch once again. It was another really nice place on the inlet again.

That night my father wanted to go out to his favorite spot The Inn. It took about 5 minutes to get there and when we entered the restaurant everybody in the place was treating him like he was the king of the world. The waitresses were all over him giving him little pecks on the cheeks. I see his eyes light up, he is in seventh heaven. He's like Don Corleone at Micheal's wedding everyone is coming over to our table to greet him. After a while his buddy Bud come in and sets down. Bud is coming from work. He is employed in a law office. Bud is going on 90 years of age and still works, well good form him. There is one thing you don't want to ask Bud when you see him, and that is, how are you. Because he will say every time, and that could be 10 or 15 times a day, "I checked the obituary's today and my name was not in there". So that is why I spend a whole day thinking about not greeting him by saying how are you. I just say "Bud". We all finish with the meal and a drink and start to head out the door. I get to the car and I am sitting there waiting for my Dad but he is no where to be found. I start to look for him and I find him saying his good byes to all of his girls one by one. He finaly gets to the car, and make it to his home. Just before I turn in for the night I say my good byes,because I wanted to leave early in the morning. But he say to wake him up before I go.

The next morning I'm up dressed and packed and ready to go. My father and I hugged each other and said our good byes. It alway makes me sad to leave him now. Because it could be the last time we will spend together. I hope not. I had a great visit and I think he did too.