Fatherhood Trilogy ... Casey

Built a  new house, moved into said house so why not have a new baby?  A few months after settling into our new home, I began to feel queasy.  Bill smiled smugly and said, "Well old girl .. when will this one come?"  Being in total denial, I attributed it to the new home still drying out and the smell of plaster, wood and fresh paint being too much.  I was forced to admit it though, the first time I ran to the bathroom.  I was due sometime in mid February.  Casey fooled us all, and came late January.

After giving birth, I looked over to Bill who was now holding his bran new son.  Smiling down at this beautiful Gerber child, he said, "Hello Casey.  You will certainly break hearts with those beautiful big brown eyes and pouty lips."

What Bill admired most about Casey was his athleticism and ease with people.  Although Casey is often compared to me because of his love of the arts - poetry, crafts and video production, Bill saw much of himself in Casey because sportsmanship and theatre were some of the strengths they shared.

During the summer, some six years ago, Casey worked a lot of little jobs.  He was determined to play ball hockey, as a goalie no less.  With enough money in his pocket, he purchased a beginner set of pads, mitt, blocker, helmet and a stick.  He wanted to play in the fall.  There was the little amount left to pay and Bill suggested that this would be a good thing.  So off we went to get him registered.  He was picked up by a men's team and this was his first experience in organized hockey.  Bill could not wipe the grin off his face.  He had tried in their early years to get them involved with hockey, being a player himself, but the kids were not into it.  Now at the age of 15, Casey was playing net.  We spent the first season out in the cold, braving many snow falls and loved every moment of it.  Casey played rather well and was fearless!  Come the Spring, it was time for registration again.  There was no hesitation.  First night out, we watched Casey play; however, there was some hesitation on his part.  Getting back to the car, his father asked why he seemed to be dodging rather than blocking.  Casey opened his hand and showed the angry bruise in his hand.  It would seem that he was in a different league of players now and the beginner equipment was too thin.  Before the next game, Bill took him out and they upgraded his equipment. 

By the summer season, Casey was joined by his younger brother Seth and by the fall, Casey, Seth and Bill were playing on the same team.  Bill often said, he was so happy that we shared this as a family.  He felt that this was what would create lasting memories.

In one of his before last year of high school, we attended Casey's school play.  A week before provincial completion one of the lead actors decided he was not going to participate.  Rather than cancel all together, Casey stepped up to the plate.  He learned all the lines and the production crew rearrange the scenes to accommodate Casey playing both personalities.  They came back from competition with awards recognizing their performance.  Finally, we attended his last performance and sat in awe of this great actor.  We laughed so hard, our sides hurt.  What a wonderful performance!  Again, I look over and caught the pride in Bill's eyes.  It was  priceless.

Like all father-son relationships, there were many good times, and there were some rough patches, but there was never a moment without love.  In the year before Bill died, Casey and he spent a great deal of time together and came to discover and appreciate so many other things in common.