In the day, his nickname was "Steve Stunning"...
Not too hard to imagine why...
My dad was a looker...
Mom wasn't too shabby herself!
Today is my pop's birthday...
Had to be a great time for a kid birthday celebration in the summer...
He lived in Chicago as a kid, playing in the train yards,
setting fire to easter grass and keeping snakes
(unbeknownst to my grandma)
in the basement...
Now I know where Jack gets his mischievous nature. ..
I also know where he gets some of his engineer brain...
Jack's dad has a lot of that, too...
Dad was the fun guy you wanted around...
Always with that winning smile on his face,
a willingness to jump in a game of baseball
and along for the college pranks when needed...
One time he and a bunch of guys managed to carry
a small car into the basement of a college school building.
Then they filled it with books...
Another time they decided to drop a massive barrel of water
from a two story
building onto a targeted friend...
Too bad they nailed the house mother instead....
Oops...
Knocked her flat...
Yep...
My dad is pictured in the dictionary next to "Work Ethic"...
No guy has worked harder than he has...
Before I was born my folks had something like 5 jobs
between them to make ends meet...
When Dad had his own architecture practice
he worked long hours and most Saturdays...
He managed to make most of our important events
and even coached my softball team one year...
I learned that hard work, determination
and a little savvy goes a long way...
My dad was the tough guy at work,
but he was an old softie at home...
He taught me to dance and we even won a dance contest,
tearing it up at a festival in downtown Moline...
These days, my parents live near us in the suburbs
and I get to see Dad everyday...
He sits right next to me at work!
We are partners in crime, helping each other,
sharing bad jokes and enjoying the company...
I am grateful to have my pop so close...
Happy Birthday, Dad!
I love you.
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