That son of a bitch.
He got me. Of course. I was wondering if he would.
I woke up at 3:30 this morning in a Hilton Garden Inn. There is no reason for any human to wake up at 3:30 a.m. Well, I did.
I went to the tiny workout room and then walked over to Starbucks to be the first obnoxiously smiling customer they saw when they opened at 5 a.m. I bet those fools woke up at 3:30 a.m. as well.
Anyway, I grabbed my iced coffee and wandered back to the hotel lobby. I pulled up to a fluffy chair and whipped out my journal.
Today is my dad’s birthday. He is dead.
He died when I was 21 years old. Or maybe I was 20. Not sure but I do know this…he died on 3/3/93. Guess whose lucky number is three? Mine. Hell, they named me Trey because I am the third. I was born 3/23/73. There are 3’s all over the place for me. Including when the old man kicked it.
Anyway, about 8 years ago I was having lunch with my friend Kelley. He came to her from the other side. It was wild.
“Did your dad smoke?” She asked.
Yes. A pack a day.
“Did he drink?”
Yes. He was an alcoholic.
“Did he have a beard?”
Yes. Black one.
“Did he die of a heart attack?”
Yes. It’s on the death certificate.
“Well, he just talked to me from the other side.”
Holy shit.
He told her he was sad for me. I was depressed at the time so that checked out. Then she asked him if he was always with me. He said no.
Odd.
But he told her he was with me when I asked him to be.
Interesting.
Since then, he pops us every once in a while and drops signs for me. I talk to him in my mind. I ask him for help and advice. Sometimes I just bust his balls. He was hilarious, just like me.
So, I sat there this morning and shed a few tears thinking about some of the good times we had and how I actually miss the old man. He had charm and when he wasn’t blackout drunk, was magical.
Then I wondered if he would send me a sign today that he was with me.
At that moment I got up to go to the bathroom. I had my earpods in and was listening to a random DJ playlist.
As I started to walk it happened.
The song Sweet Child of Mine came on. There he was. I got the chills.
Whoa, oh, oh
Sweet child o' mine
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
Sweet love of mine
Damn you.
Once the song was over I paused Spotify because I wanted to savor the moment. I didn’t want it to be ruined by the next song which might have nothing to do with Dad. When I looked down at my phone the song that was paused…
The Joker
Yup, he got me.
Happy birthday old man. I miss you.
Trey