The Board Meeting had come to an end.Bob started to stand up and jostled the table,spilling his coffe
over his notes."how emarrassing i am getting clumsy in my old age".
Everyone had a good laugh,and soon we were all telling stories of our most embarrassing moments.It
came around to Frank who sat quietly listening to the others.some one said ,"come on,Frank.tell us our
more embarrassing moment."
Frank began,i grew up in San Pedro.my dad was a fisherman,and he loved the sea.He had his own boat,
he had his own boat,but it was hard to make a living on the sea.He worked hard and would stay out until
he caught enough to feed his family.Not just enough for our family,but also for him mom and dad and the
the other kids that were still and home."He looked at us and said i wish you could have met my dad.He
was a big man,and he was strong from pulling the nets and fighting the seas for his catch.When you
got close to him,he smelled the ocean."
Frank's voice dropped a bit."when the weather was bad he would drive me to school.he would pull
right up in front,and it seemed like everybody would be standing around and watching.then he would
lean over and kiss me goodbye!"
He paused and then went on,"i remember the day i thought i was too old for a goodbye kiss.When we
got th school and came to a stop,he had his usual big smile.he started to lean toward me.but i put my
hand up and said,"no,dad,'it was the first time ,i had ever talked to him that way,and he had this
surprised looked on his face."I said,dad,i am too old for a goodbye kiss.i am too old for any kind of
kiss"My dad looked at me for the longest time,and his eyes started to tear up.I had never see him cry.
He turned and looked out the windshield."you are right."he said."you are a big boy...a man.I won't kiss
you any more...
For the moment,Frank got a funny look on his face,and the tears began to well up in his eyes."It
wasn't long after when my dad went to sea and never came back."
I looked at Frank and saw that tears were running down his cheeks.Frank spoke again."guys,you don't
know what i would give to have my dad give me just one more kiss on the cheek...to feel his rough old
face..to smell the ocean on him..to feel his arm around my neck.I wish i had been a man then.If i had
been a man,i would be a man.i would never have told my dad i was too old for a good bye kiss."
After this story,i just think something that you can't to wait,and do not wait,is just like love.when you
loved a person,make sure let them know,because you never know what happened the next minute.
learning to spend your life together,and respect each other.
