Nine

On Oct. 19, 1999 my father died.

It's been 9 years and I still remember details
from that day as if it just happened.

I was sleeping in, I usually get up around NOON
to go to work. Back then, I was working at a
theatre as an assistant manager, and work usually
started at 3pm. I had to wait for my niece to
get out of classes and take me to work.

The phone was constantly ringing, and when the
answering machine went on ... no one left a msg.

I finally got up to take a shower, I knew my
niece would be home (we were both renting rooms
from a family) soon. When I was done, and
stepped out of the bathroom, she was home, on
the phone...CRYING.

My sister in law and called ... and gave us the
bad news that my dad had a heart attack. He was
in the hospital in the ICU. They were waiting
for some kind of change in him.

I felt numb ... couldn't stay home ... had to
go to work. So I told my niece to call me or
come to work with any new news.

The whole entire night, I couldn't concentrate
on anything. Finally when it was almost time
to get out of work, my niece came to the theatre
and told me the news.

He died.

My younger sister in Guam called also. She said
"he's not here anymore" ... all I could do was cry.
My co-worker Sarah was trying to console me. Some of
the guys were quiet. Not knowing what to do.

I went home and heard several msgs left on the machine.
Relatives had found out about my dad and gave their
condolences. The mother and daugher we were renting
our rooms from tried to talk to us about them also
losing their husband~father.

Some many things have happened in the last 9 years
that I wish my dad was a part of. My graduation
from Grad School, my mom's 75th birthday, the birth
of his first GREAT-GRANDCHILD, the birth of his other
GRANDCHILDREN ... and more ...

I miss him ... but I know he is watching over my family.