Mr. Fix It

Daddy was my Mr. Fix It. From the time I moved out on my own, I have always called Daddy when something needed fixing around my home. When he would come to visit, it wasn't uncommon for me to say, "Daddy, would you mind checking my toilet, it seems to be running." or "Daddy, could you put these light bulbs in the living room ceiling fan, I can't reach." or "Daddy, you wouldn't want to clean my gutters, would you?" From taking my car in for oil changes, to checking my mail, to changing air filters, daddy would do just about anything to help me out. I always knew that I could count on him. Half the time, I didn't even ask, he would just come in and tell me he replaced the rubber seal on my shower, or I would get off work and my lawn would be mowed.

On his last visit to my home in March of this year, he came in and told me that my toilet had been running and he tightened it for me. He offered to show me what to do because it would eventually become loose again. I informed him that by that time he would be back and he could just tighten it again. He laughed and said that was true.

Now, my toilet is running again and he isn't here to fix it. I kinda wish I had taken the opportunity to allow him to show me how, not so much so that I could know, but so that I could say my daddy taught me how to do that. But, mom made me feel better. She said that it tickled daddy pink that I wanted him to come back and fix my toilet when it started running again.

Just tonight, I thought to myself, that when dad came in for Grace's birthday party, he could install the ceiling fan we bought for her room. All the sudden it hit me that, for the first time in my life, he wouldn't be here to help me.