I’d get these phone calls from my dad - which I’ve give anything to receive today - and he would leave this message if I couldn’t answer. There was this thread of joy in his voice and it was everything.
“Hey Juj, it’s Dad calling. It’s 8am my time and I was wondering what you are up to today. I hope you are doing something fun. I love you the most.”
His particular phrasing and the lilt in his tone immediately brought back all that was good in my childhood. He managed to infuse delight in every word.
In this period of time, Dad was on the West Coast and I was living on the East Coast, thus his need to distinguish time zones. As if our ridiculously expensive smart phones wouldn’t register the difference.
My favorite thing about these messages is his use of a nickname that HIS dad had initially given me. And that he always announced he was the person calling and when he was calling. Again smart phones.
I just really miss him.
