8 Things I like about my Dad

In honor of his 63rd birthday (yesterday, ack), some things I like about my own father.

1. He can (and does) talk to anybody. This was embarrassing as a kid. Now, I find it endearing. An expression of my dad's deep-rooted egalitarianism is that he will speak to anyone he encounters, anywhere, anytime.
2. He loves Jesus. Probably should have been number 1.
3. He loves my mom. My land are they ever mushy. I wouldn't have it any other way.
4. When I was in middle school, playing hoops in the park between my dad's office and our house, he'd sometimes see us on his way home. When he did, if he could, he'd stop, take off his dress shoes and play basketball with us in his work clothes and socks.
5. He reads and loves books.
6. He can chatter at a baseball/softball game like no one else I've met. I took him to a grad school summer league softball game, not quite remembering this fact. He chattered the whole game, from the outfield. Excerpt from when his team is on offense: "Come on, now, ducks on the pond, ducks on the pond, little bingo."
7. The walk away. You aren't familiar? The walk away can help in negotiations for negotiable-price items. The seller names a price you don't like. Courteously say something like "Thank you, friend" and walk away. The price will drop quickly. It was an integral part of the Christmas tree purchase tradition in our family.
8. He's fond of grand, generous gestures. One of his love languages is the shockingly large check to a child or grandchild. The sums have been saved from his allowance and odd non-salary income-generating activities (like collecting 5 cent deposit cans while on vacation in Maine).