Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Jack Valentino

(1,936 posts)
Wed Apr 30, 2025, 12:26 AM Wednesday

Yesterday I dreamed of my father....

We were attempting some pickup rendezvous in northeast East Lansing, perhaps in the vicinity of Park Lake and N. Hagadorn Roads, by my recollection of the visuals....

I was on foot, trying to get into the car--- which seemed to be one of those which he owned in the latter 1970's, maybe the AMC Ambassador...

Anyway, I kept trying to get into the car, but he couldn't see me over his right shoulder, and kept fecklessly moving it just as I was about to open the passenger door and get in... LOL And of course, at one point I could hear brakes screaming from some other car as he pulled out in front of them...

(His driving license was revoked when he was about 91 years old, and he failed the road test afterwards... and once, when he was much younger, he backed into my sister's boyfriend's car, in the driveway, since he wasn't in the habit of looking behind him. While visiting an auto repair facility, I heard that they had nicknamed him "Crash"! Luckily he never hurt himself or anyone else.) Also, at some point I heard stories about him having driven his 'Model T' through the farm's chicken coop when he was 14? well, in those days the DMV didn't have much authority on private property, but I have to assume that he drove it many other places, back in the early 1940's.... He was too young to enlist for WW2, but his two older brothers did. Far as I know, they served but were never in combat zones.

Well, I did finally make it into the car. I was very glad to see him, since he died in early 2020 (non-covid, just old age), and I hadn't seen him lately. Then I woke up--- with a big smile on my face and in my heart! Much better than waking up from a 'bad dream'...

I missed him a lot after buying a new home after his death, thanks to my portion of his life savings--- I wanted to show it to him and get his advice on it.

I particularly miss him at the opening of gardening season--- he was raised as a depression farm boy, and gardened all his life after moving to the city... and I shared that activity with him when I was a small boy, and again during about the last 10 years of his life, when I had moved back in with my parents "temporarily" as I thought at the time... but I was glad that I was with both of them at the moments when they passed away, the only child who was.. I was the "baby of the family".

When he had passed and I was moving to my new home, I dug up the patch of chives in the back garden and took it with me...
That stand of chives dated to my early childhood---- I don't know if it was newly planted there,
or had come from somewhere else previously, but I transplanted it to my home, and it does well---
and is a minimum of 56 years old now...

If I could talk to him now, I would like to ask him about that stand of chives, among many other things....

Thanks for everything, Dad... and thanks for your visit! I do miss you.

And thanks for the ride! hahaha



And THANKS to all of you reading this, if you managed to get this far---
This "orphan" just needed to talk about this, and DU is almost the only place I have to do it....
online or offline












9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Yesterday I dreamed of my father.... (Original Post) Jack Valentino Wednesday OP
Such a beautiful story, thank you Jack Valentino. JMCKUSICK Wednesday #1
I envy you the dream Easterncedar Wednesday #2
I have had a very active "dream life" the past few years--- Jack Valentino Wednesday #4
I enjoyed your story. murielm99 Wednesday #3
Thank you for sharing. StarryNite Wednesday #5
Thanks so much for sharing your dream - and your Dad - with us! Rhiannon12866 Wednesday #6
Lovely. I am so glad you took the chives with you. LoisB Wednesday #7
What a wonderful dream and memories FemDemERA Wednesday #8
I haven't dreamed a lot in recent years. But when I was still dreaming....... Fla Dem Wednesday #9

Jack Valentino

(1,936 posts)
4. I have had a very active "dream life" the past few years---
Wed Apr 30, 2025, 02:01 AM
Wednesday

possibly my brain attempting to compensate for my more inactive "real life"
but that's as it is

Rhiannon12866

(233,244 posts)
6. Thanks so much for sharing your dream - and your Dad - with us!
Wed Apr 30, 2025, 02:49 AM
Wednesday

I tend not to remember dreams which is just as well since they make little sense.

But this reminded me a story that my grandmother told me about my closest cousin's other grandparents who I knew. It was in the days of early cars and back when they were first "seeing each other." They had a date and she was waiting at the door when he showed up in an early car which he had "borrowed" for their date. But instead of stopping, he flew on by, and proceeded to do the same thing again and again. Turns out he'd never driven before and it took him awhile to figure out how to stop!

FemDemERA

(501 posts)
8. What a wonderful dream and memories
Wed Apr 30, 2025, 03:13 AM
Wednesday

Of your Dad. Thank you for sharing with us. I love that you carried the chives with you to your new home!

Fla Dem

(26,603 posts)
9. I haven't dreamed a lot in recent years. But when I was still dreaming.......
Wed Apr 30, 2025, 08:32 AM
Wednesday

a recurrent dream was when we (our family, including aunts, uncles and cousins) were at my grandparents for a holiday dinner. It was very vivid and spectacularly accurate with the what the house looked like. It would only last for a few minutes and always ended up with me and my favorite cousin standing at the kitchen sink talking and laughing while washing the dinner dishes while my Mom, aunts and Grandmother were talking around us.

It's good to have those memories. I glad you have those memories of your Dad.

Latest Discussions»The DU Lounge»Yesterday I dreamed of my...