My Favorite Super Hero

When the SJG was a little gal, my father convinced me he was a very strong man. Stronger than Tarzan.

Stronger than Jack LaLanne. 

When the SJG was a little gal, my father convinced me he could move the house all on his own. He'd say, "Watch this, Daddy's going to make the house move." He'd push against the wall and grunt.

I totally bought it.  

Then one day, before remote controls, he got out of the car and went to open the heavy wooden garage door. The little SJG figured he wasn't just going to move the house, he was going to lift it right off its foundation. How many daddies could do that? Mid-lift, his back went out. He was frozen in pain. "Go get your mother," he said. "Hurry." So I ran and got my mother. "Daddy got stuck moving the house!"

It took me a while to question the whole house-moving scenario. About four years ago, I finally broached the subject. "Daddy, when did I stop believing you could move the house?" "On your 45 birthday." "How did I take it?" "Not well." Come to think of it, I'm still not over it.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy. You'll always be my favorite super hero.