一日為師

Made a little promise to {someone} that 2019 will be a year of reconnecting and reconciliation.  The year started out with a phenomenal lunch with Nancy and a majestic dinner with the Fab 5.  Today... I gave my volleyball coach, Dan, aka 鬼佬, a call.

His voice sounded weak.  He's aged.  But his mind is like an elephant.  The gory little details he remembers is remarkable!!  Down to a insignificant conversation we had at a Salvation Army nearly 20 years ago.  Looking back... Dan had as much an impact on my wicked sense of humor, sarcasm and goofiness more than practically anyone other than Big Bro.  His use of irony... straight faced comedy... current events induced uneasiness... and self-depreciation... has oddly shaped the man I am today. Obviously, the taught me how to play volleyball.  He also taught me how to swing a golf club.  Took me to my first Happy Hour (he had a beer, I had lemonade). And one thing that stuck out.. that I till remember, was he loved to read.  He'll get up every morning, make a pot of coffee, and read.

We shot the breeze, joked around a little, reminisced a lot... and at one point, I stopped and said, "Hey Dan... I want to thank you.  Thank you for being such a big part of my life.  You've done more for me than you can possibly imagine."  I wasn't prepared to make that speech at the moment... and choked up.  Maybe he heard it over the phone... assuming he can still hear.  And he interrupted me with an obnoxious sarcastic joke, "Sorry to interrupt... I really need to record that so I can play it every night to put myself to sleep."

"一日為師, 終身為父." It doesn't matter how old he is... how high I climb in life... or how tipsy topsy the world will change.  I will always, for the rest of my days, call him "Coach." Cuz he earned it.  Cuz he deserves it.  Cuz, in some ways, I deserved him.

Dinner Menu: 牛肉白菜陽春麵