My dad and I played Crazy Eights with my mom and sister. My family was never really the “game night” type of family. One flipped Candyland game board, and that was the end of games in the Tully household. Many of my father’s answers I had known prior to game play. His favorite holiday is Thanksgiving because it always gets overshadowed by Christmas, but has better food. His go-to order at Dunkin’ Donuts is an extra large hot coffee with butter pecan flavoring (peppermint if it’s December). My grandma didn’t know she was having twins until she gave birth, so “Leonard” was a last minute name choice. My dad hates his name (refer to "Of Mice and Men").
My dad is an onion. Despite my pride in already knowing some of his answers, he always knows how to throw a curveball. During the game, he revealed that he knows three convicted murderers. (What!) Occurrences like these are not unique to this moment. Every time I think I’ve learned everything about my dad, he tosses out these random facts or stories, and I’m reminded that I will never stop learning from him.
Like Thanksgiving, my dad flies under the radar. Being the Park Ridge socialite that she is, my mom knows everyone in town and everyone knows her. My dad’s presence in the community is slightly less present, but just as impactful. He supports all of us without any expectation of praise.
He doesn’t remember the last time he danced, but he did show off some of his infamous “Dad” moves. Throughout the game, I learned how my dad views and treats the women in his life. In a house of all girls, he’s grown a deeper understanding of girlhood and womanhood by raising my sister and I. He’s critical of my cousin who corrects his wife in front of us at holidays. Now that they’re pregnant and expecting a girl, my dad is unafraid to show him how to be a good dad to his future daughter. When reflecting on our family friend’s recent marital collapse due to cheating, my dad was hypercritical of his once best friend. He was quick to question why he would throw away a wonderful wife and amazing family for sex. Normally, my dad doesn’t participate in the hometown gossip, so this was out of character for him. (I was never nervous about my dad cheating on my mom, but this provided extra reassurance. )
There is nothing that my dad values more than family. He has an incredibly strong bond with his twin brother. Though they live in different states, they talk to each other every single day. I want to have twins solely so my children can have the bond that my dad has with his brother. He has nurtured our family with tender love that I can only hope to replicate for my children.
For anyone that is curious: my dad won the game. No throwing of cards, this time!