Yesterday Sunday 18 June was Father’s Day. Unfortunately some children are unaware or ignore it… even the parents!
It was a day to remember my father, born in 1899 (no typo) and who passed away, too soon, in 1979. I regret I missed the chance to know him better, sometimes also due to my own ignorance. I left my favorite country – Brazil – largely in part to be with him as I knew he was not going to end the year, in 1979. I was with him during his last moments and at least it compensated some of my shortcomings towards him.
He had divorced in the early 20th century, a period when it was very unusual and not so well accepted. I had two half sisters, one I never knew and one that later on became friends with my mother. All a bit strange for me – my half sister Irene is 83 years old, her son Frank was a couple of months older than me. I considered Frank as my brother, unfortunately he passed away a couple of years ago in Singapore. We did write to each other regularly.

Irene and myself have been exchanging letters and she surprised me with two old pictures, one of my father (around 18 years old?) and one of herself with my father and his sister Yvonne, maybe dating from the late 1930 and probably taken in Lokeren, his hometown. Valerie scanned the pics and did a great job to improve them. Funny was, she first thought it a picture of me when I was young…
Yes, I don’t forget you Pa, wherever you may be. You were a good father, in your very own way, rough on the outside and a golden heart inside.