I love my father

"I hope to see him some day soon."

I have been chanting that line for a few weeks now. It's a line from a song that I can't seem to stop playing, even when I am cycling, which I am about to head off to do right now, and I am going to put headphones in and listen to that song, out on the hot roads of Pittsburgh, and think of my father and thank him.

I am going to thank him today for water. My new cycle has only one cage for water, although it has two places for cages, it only came with one. It has hex bolts in place for the second cage, and I needed to find my little handy hex bolt tool and put another cage in, because it will be 90 degrees today and I am going to ride 100 plus miles, so I need at least two bottles of fortified water.

"I love my father and I hope to see him some day soon."

My dad was strict about tools. He was good with his hands and his work tools were objects to be treasured. He did not mind us boys borrowing the tools, but you damn well better put them back exactly where you found them. I learned this the hard way, as a young boy I left a ratchet out in the field after repairing something and that evening, I believe I got smacked or berated or spanked or something. A lesson learned.

I needed my hex tool this morning and I found it without even thinking, because my father taught me many lessons, one of which, respect your tools and put them away. Second water bottle in place, bike ready.

"I love my father and I hope to see him someday soon."