[Jeff Higgins]

That I lost my dad to a heart attack. He was only 49; I was 18. I was pretty darn close to the guy, as close as a father and a hard-headed 18 year old could be, I guess. I often wonder what my life would be like had he not passed away that day.

I was in school and working part time at the time, but had to ramp it up to full time to help support the household. My mom had never worked, and my little brother and sister were still in high school. I left the house at 19 after she got on her feet and have never looked back.

I'm in the career that I was headed towards back then (engineer at a big aerospace company; same one my dad worked for) but little else is likely how it would have been. My full-time job was on the shop floor at this very company, a place I would have never been if I had continued part-time where I was. It was here I met a guy (long since lost track of him) that eventually introduced me to my wife of 21 years. I never would have met her if the old man had lived. Weird.

Anyway, I have lots of fond memories of the old man. My only regret is never getting to know him as a man; to sit down and have a beer with him. Folks that are still around that knew him say he was a pretty good guy. That means a lot to me.

I have two boys, 18 and 16, that I'm pretty close to. My mom says it reminds me of my dad and us kids when she sees us together, in that we carry on about the same way. That means a lot to me, too.

Anyway, I don't know what made me post this. Just thinking about the old man. I'll go home tonight and lift a glass in his honor.