You and Me, Daddy - May, 2007, Athens AL

I wrote this for my dad's 80th birthday party, held at the Sandridge Student Center at Athens State University May 27, 2007.

You and Me, Daddy

Daddy and I've had lots of special times together. For one thing, I'm the only one he loves. I know this because he's told me on many occasions. I pay no attention to that "only begotten son" thing, because I believe what he told me.

One of my earliest memories is of standing on the car seat beside my dad, while he's driving. Yes, today he'd be arrested for that, but this was a long time ago. We're going to a wedding, I'm all dressed up, and he's practicing the wedding ceremony, with me as the bride. I remember driving through the mountains of Virginia numerous times, repeating this scenario. The only thing that changed was the name of the groom. Finally, in 1974, he married me for the last time, to Mike.

I remember dancing with Daddy, from the time I was old enough to remember. We danced in a talent show when I was in high school, when most teenagers would have been embarrassed to be seen with their dad, much less dance with him, and on stage! We danced when I was in college, in this very room, and my friends were amazed to see their college president throw me around on the dance floor. We danced last year at Courtney's wedding. He's the reason I've always loved dancing, and put Elizabeth in dance classes as soon as she could walk - and now she's a dance teacher.

Daddy signed my first college diploma, drew a little star beside his name, and handed it to me with a kiss. Did you know that before he came to Athens they always had their graduations in the gym? They were afraid to have it outside, for fear of rain. Daddy said he would take care of the weather. He started the tradition of holding graduation in front of Founder's Hall, and continued that every year he was here, except one - 1975. The year I graduated, it rained, and graduation was in the gym.

October 6, 1987 was a very special day for us. That's the day he was kidnapped and carried in the trunk of his car from Birmingham to Atlanta. I was living in Atlanta at the time, so I went to pick him up. It was around midnight when we got finished at the police station and met Mama halfway back to Birmingham. I never told him that I was almost out of gas and had to stop on the way back, in the middle of the night, by myself, in Atlanta, to fill up the tank.

Daddy's stories and sayings have become such a part of our lives. I even tell some of his jokes. I can't pass a cemetery, especially if there's someone new in the car, without saying, "You know, that cemetery has a very strange rule..." and my children just roll their eyes. But that's okay, because I know, Daddy, I'm the only one you love!