When I joined the Navy my Dad supported me and was glad for me to go and see the world. Most of my adult life, I've probably been his closest friend.
After boot camp, I went to school in Pensacola Florida. I had become a section leader at school and had things pretty easy so Dad made the trip to Florida just to visit me and some of my friends. We got to get away for 2 days and we went all the way to Biloxi Mississippi and worked our way back going from casino to casino. We lost until we got nearly back to Pensacola and he suggested we try just one more casino. We ended up playing blackjack until we had our pockets full! He stayed on the base for a week and I got to see him daily except for duty days.
While I was stationed in Norfolk (really Oceana) he would call me almost every night. Just wondering how school was going and checking up on me. Then it was on to Japan...
After I got settled in and saved for awhile, I bought a computer. We used Yahoo messenger to communicate nightly. Dad would wait up half the night just to get to talk to me for 15-20 minutes. I discovered a new program called Dialpad. I could use my computer with a headset to make free calls back to the states. As you can guess..I talked to him as often as possible.
When my time was up for serving the country...my command didn't want to let me leave. They tried to negate our contract. I explained that Dad was in poor health and I was needed back home, they didn't believe me so I needed proof from a doctor. Dad went and talked to the doctor and he wrote a letter to my commanding officer telling them that Dad was terminally ill and I should return home. They sent me home in less than 2 weeks. I arrived back home in October of 2000. After hearing he was terminally ill, I was just mortified..dreading facing him..but dying to give him a big hug.
It's been more than 10 years and I've done my best to see that he's been comfortable, happy and enjoying life. I'm hoping for another 10 years at least. I don't believe that being told you are terminally ill means that you should just start dying...Dad didn't! He's fought tooth and nail and he never told anyone but me that news. He's counted on me and I do the same with him..it's like a partnership and neither one wants to let the other one down.
Tomjtexas is my father and I'm damn proud of it! Everyone who tells me to get a life...walk a mile in my shoes before you judge my choices in life. I'm needed and I'm here!