I can't believe it has been a year since we said goodbye to my father-in-law. Not a day goes by when I don't think of him in some way or another. Life without him has been and still is strange. There are times I still can't believe he is gone. There were times last summer, and I'm sure there will be some this summer, when I was sitting by the pool and was expecting him to come home from golf and grab a beer and smoke a cigar with me. In the short time I knew him he went from the father of a girl I was dating, to my father-in-law to my friend and in some ways, a second father.
In the last year we shed a lot of tears remembering him as well as a lot of laughs remembering the good times and the things he did and said. He did a lot for us. He was always there when you needed him- unless he was playing golf, then you had to wait until he was done, but he'd be there.
Whenever I start to miss him I would think of something that he did or said that makes me laugh. Like the time we were playing golf and he gave me a tip. He told me to roll my right hand back so I could see my knuckles. I did it and it felt very unnatural. I asked him if he was sure it was my right hand and he said yes. He was absolutely certain. So I swung and hit the ball. It went about 30 yards out then turned and went about 150 yards into the woods. He watched it, then looked at me and said, "Shit! I forgot your left handed. It was your left hand you were supposed to turn."
I miss hanging out with him watching the Yankees, Giants and golf. I even miss him busting my chops about how big a Jeff Gordon fan he was. I knew he did it just to get me riled up and most times it worked. LOL I miss that shit eating grin he'd get when you realized he was joking or trying to get one over on you. I miss playing golf with him.
There are plenty of good times to think about that make me smile and laugh. The trip to Vermont, a couple of Wildwood vacations, Yankee games and just having dinner with him. He is sorely missed.
Not only did I lose my father-in-law, I lost my beer buddy, cigar chum, my friend, as I used to call him, Big Guy. Tonight, in his memory, I am going to smoke a cigar and have a couple of beers.
R.I.P. Gene 'Big Guy' Stroz. Always loved....forever remembered.
