In December, I drove into Brooklyn to see the Christmas lights with Vilmary and Ryan. By chance I parked on 86th St. right outside the entrance to Dyker Park. As I walked around the car to let Ryan out and stepped onto the sidewalk I was overcome with emotion. I had a flashback to a more innocent time when I would come here with you and Laurie. I was so excited to share this memory with Ryan. I told him about the night you pulled the car over in this very spot to challenge me to a race. Race challenges weren’t uncommon for us but this was a special memory and a special night. You stepped out of the car in your white leather shoes and we took our positions at the starting line. At the word go I was off like a shot and I ran as fast as I could with my eyes on the finish line. At some point I heard a crash behind me and as I looked over my shoulder I saw you sliding across the ground . As you stood up to gather yourself I noticed your shoes were scuffed and your hands were all scraped. This was the last memory I have of us racing and the first time I can remember beating you at anything. I might have been helped by your poor choice in running shoes or the uneven ground overrun by tree roots but a win is a win. If you are wondering, yes Ryan and I kept the tradition alive. We raced that night in the footsteps of a time past. And, yes I won.
After your passing I drove to Plumb Beach, another of your favorite places to take me and Laurie. This is where you taught Laurie and I the finer points of tossing horseshoe crabs. I walked the entire beach looking for a horseshoe crab to toss into the ocean. Considering it’s January all I found was carcasses. The empty shell doesn’t go that far but it was the best I can do under the circumstances. I tossed one in for each of us. On my way back to the bridge, I drove through the streets of Brooklyn and was met with memories I didn’t even know I had. Whether it was Joe’s Clam Bar in Sheepshead Bay, Spumoni Gardens where we spent so much time as children, the Loews Oriental movie theater on 18th ave where I have a distinct memory of watching Raiders of the Lost Ark together or Tomasso’s restaurant where we had so many fantastic dinners. The streets of Brooklyn are lined with good memories and every time I go back you will be with me.
Dad, I would love a redo on so many aspects of our relationship . That said I have so many good memories and so many things I have you to thank for. I will miss hearing your voice but I believe in my heart that we will meet again. And like you always said “Will do lunch”.
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