On Losing my Father May 19.

 

Sunday MAY 19

 

We're up camping this weekend.

Dad's not doing well.

I say I'll be over on Sunday afternoon to help with the garden.

My Father's garden is is passion. It's about all he has left.

He can't drive, can't walk far.

My sister is taking him to the Railroad musuem on Tuesdays.

It's just too far for him to walk the 2 blocks.

 

I say, I can help get you to the museum.

He says. Tuesday was my last day.

I was so tired when I got home.
I just went to bed.

Two people who came through the mail car asked if I am ok.

Guess it's time to retire.

He says I sent a letter. I won't be back next week.

Wow, Dad, I know how much you loved it there.

 

His lush spring garden is gone. There just a few onions,

beets that didn't, bulb. Radishes are gone, lettuce has gone to head.

He says, I want your to thrown away all the plastic containers, anything I didn't pay for. Yogurt containers, pots, six pack. He says save the felt buckets.

We can sell them at the next garage sale.

He's through with his garden.

 

He says I can't bend over anymore.

 

I am in tears.

I take out out a big bag of pots.

I am sobbing by the time I get back. Daddy, this garden is your passion.

We hug. He says we knew it would come someday.

Well, I say, I'd rather share the tears while you are alive, share the memories.

Let's get back to work.

 

I cry, we hug. He cries. I take out more pots.

He says, take some onions.

I cry. It's not the onions.

 

How are the beets? he says. Did they bulb?

No Daddy.

No more beets, not more peas, spring peas are gone.

No more lettuce, or radishes or onions.

He drove to a nursery late
April and got 4 tomato plants and a cuke.

That is all that is left in the garden except some onions, some weeds

and beets that never grew.

 

I'll be back next week I say, on Monday.

I think, I'll offer to drive him to the nursery,

get some plants for the pots on the fence rail.

All his plants are dying. 

An early Father's Day gift.

New plants for the pots on the rail.

Daddy, I love you.