...remembering July...

Snippets of a certain man whom I happen to spend a certain portion of my life with. These are things about him that will always be a part of me and my family...

• His real name was Benjamin but since he was born in the month of July, his folks decided to gave him the nickname "July". He was known by that moniker all his life and until he died.
• He managed to have nine children, seven girls and two boys. He remained married to his wife until his death.
• He was not into vices except smoking. He smoked a lot despite the repeated pleas of his wife and other concerned people, for him to quit smoking. Their pleas fell on deaf ears. There was only one time that I saw him drunk, but he just slept it off (unlike his older brother who goes into "ranting" mode when intoxicated).
• He loved to eat sinugba(grilled) na bulis(a type of fish). It was always his request. Months after he died, my aunt could not bring herself to buy those fish because it will remind him of "...July.."
• He worked as a driver/messenger/janitor at a bank. One day, he came home and tossed something at me. Clumsy as I am, I fumbled to get hold of it. When I saw what it was, I was very happy---a Parker ball pen. He told me that he saw it while he was cleaning the office. I did not care--it came from him besides it's a Parker. I still use the ball pen up to this day.
• He liked to drink coffee. Its always been a part of his morning routine. I guess I got it from him my hankering for coffee too.
• He always had this loud booming voice when he got angry.
• He loved movies and religiously watched the local news.
• He grew up not knowing his father because his father died when he was still small.
• He accompanied me during my enrollment for college.
• He willingly slide with me when I got terrified even if it made him look ridiculous( I described this in detail in one of my previous post)
• My grandmother doted on him.

Today is to be his 60th birthday. He died three years ago. A week from now, to be exact, will be his 3rd death anniversary. I happen to know all these things about him because this man whom known to his friends and family as "July" was also the only man I ever called "Tatay"....