Pyramids For My Father

My parents never traveled too far afield. When I was very young my dad built a camper for his pickup and we spent a lot of time exploring the Northwest USA but they usually stayed pretty close to home. Dad was a frustrated world traveler. He bought and studied dozens of books about different parts of the world and was as much of an armchair expert on those areas as he could be in the pre-Internet days.

My dad worked as a Union Carpenter until he was over 65 and then started a small neighborhood cabinet making business in his garage which kept him busy off and on for a couple more years. All this time he was waiting for the opportunity to travel. He always wanted to see the wonderful pyramids of Mexico but never went, always waiting for the "perfect" time.

As my mother aged, she developed an inner ear / balance problem and it became obvious that she was not going to be climbing any pyramids (even if she wanted to). My dad countered with refusing to travel anywhere until mom "got well" and could climb pyramids. They died without ever realizing his dream. They were not rich but neither were they poor. They left their three kids (who did not need or want) the money they should have spent on themselves.

So now I am in Mexico climbing dad's pyramids for him. I should have kept a few of his ashes to put on top of one. He would have enjoyed the view.