Sure, my dad could be quick with a dirty joke, usually at a Catholic nun's expense. Like all of us, he was far from perfect, but I'm thankful for lessons he taught without even trying to teach them.
Sometimes while jogging or on his way to Mass, which he walked to every day, there was an apparently homeless guy that he'd smile, wave and say hi to, but the guy would never respond, ignoring my dad outright or simply glaring. That REALLY ticked my Dad off, and the ensuing descriptions of that fellow that I heard were not repeatable.
One morning at Mass, my dad listened to the priest's homily about forgiveness, how it isn't just a one-time thing we do but "seventy times seven", and about how we will be forgiven by God to the same degree in which WE forgive. After Mass, my Dad went to a Jack in the Box to have a cup of coffee and read the paper, and guess who he ran into.
That morning, instead of just coffee, he ordered two breakfast sandwiches. When he got them, he walked over to the guy and said "Hey, I thought I was only ordering one of these, but I somehow got an extra. Would you like it?" The guy looked at my dad with a surprised look on his face, took the sandwich, smiled and said "Thank you."
The next morning, the man saw my Dad jogging but this time it was him who waved and said hello. "Good morning, sir. Thank you very much for the sandwich you gave me yesterday," he said as my Dad approached. Those of you who knew my Dad knew he'd never leave it at the simple "You're welcome" he said as he smiled and passed by. He turned around a few seconds later, jogged back to the guy, pulled out some cash and said "Hey, here's a few bucks to get yourself something to eat this morning. Have a nice day!"
I'd wish my Dad a Happy Father's Day today, but he's probably busy telling some angel to put his harp down and get a damn job, or quite possibly suggesting a haircut to Jesus.
Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there!