[00:13]Memories of the Mississippi [00:18]After Mom died, Dad and I took a trip together every summer, just the two of us, father and daughter. [00:29]This was especially meaningful because Dad was aging and we lived two thousand miles apart— [00:38]so a week with Dad, undistracted from other family members or from work, was a treat. [00:48]Our first destination was a cruise up the Mississippi. [00:54]We boarded the steamboat in St. Louis and noticed that we were some of the youngest people on the cruise! [01:02]Even Dad, at 73 looked young! We sat in rocking chairs on the deck, the warm breeze blowing on our faces, [01:15]admiring the lush green trees lining the mighty river. [01:20]A jazz band played in the background. [01:24]On the deck we met John who met the love of his life at a singles dance for senior citizens and asked her to marry him two weeks later. [01:38]It’s John’s first marriage at sixty-five. [01:43]Then there was Jane, a teacher from Little Rock, Arkansas who danced with Bill Clinton decades ago at a school fundraiser. [01:55]Sometimes on the deck Dad and I sat quietly, reading. [02:01]At lunchtime we stood in line for the buffet. [02:06]People asked if Dad was my brother! Amazing for our thirty-eight-year age difference! [02:15]Dad filled his plate with bread, meats, and cheeses to make a sandwich. [02:23]The most important ingredient to any sandwich was mayonnaise. [02:28]Dad loved mayonnaise! Anything else between two pieces of bread was extra fillings. [02:37]After lunch we docked at Alton, Missouri. [02:42]This small town was home to dozens and dozens of antique shops. [02:49]Dad, with little interest in shopping or antiques, although he is almost an antique himself, walked in and out of shop after shop. [03:03]We walked up the hill, down the hill, and through the old town. [03:09]We walked all day. It was the longest time I ever spent shopping with Dad. [03:17]He was a good sport to come along, simply to spend time with me. [03:24]Each day blended together like the last, until seven days passed. [03:31]On the seventh day we reached Minnesota, the top of the Mississippi, and my home, Minneapolis. [03:41]Dad saw my house for the first time and met my two cats, [03:47]Coconut and Coffee Bean. Coconut sat on his lap and purred. The two became quick friends. [03:57]This was the first of many trips we planned together, but unfortunately, it would be our last. [04:07]Dad died a few months later from being hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street in his hometown of Sacramento California. [04:19]What made this trip special was our time together, the two of us. [04:25]I had grown from the teenager embarrassed to be with Dad to the adult cherishing our time together. [04:34]I’ll always treasure these memories of my father, and be proud of who I have become.

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