Papa Would Be 97 Today

My father, David Xavier Sheehan, born October 18, 1926, would have been 97 today. I thought I’d write to him and share some things that have happened in this crazy world, since his departure on December 30, 1989.

Dear Papa, it’s no secret that you are missed and loved by us, and that each of your children have their own feelings and memories of you.

I have a host of random thoughts that I’m sure would evoke a well thought out response, if you were still here. For instance, the House of Representative has vacated Kevin McCarthy, a republican from California, as Speaker and are currently bickering or voting as they say, to elect a new person. I know you never saw that in your lifetime, nor, until now, have I.

Once again, another Palestinian group, Hamas, has attacked Israel from Gaza and fighting is currently going on, there’s blame casting from both sides, and the U.S. has sided, as promised, with Israel. I miss your take on this, as well as Mama saying, in the background quietly that “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.”

You have missed the invention of a thing called the World Wide Web, which allowed for information to be recalled and transmitted via computers all over the world. Today, in 2023, you can find anything you want in moments. In addition, you can read books as well as write them on-line. It’s a great educational tool and has caused many of the ways we grew up being taught to begin to disappear. Cursive writing is no longer taught, and I can’t say for sure, but I’m sure whatever new math is out there is classified as “new math”.

Cell phones, since the 1990’s carry more information and are today miniature computers, which can even, like the Dick Tracy style watch, allow for folks to see each other while talking. However, unlike when we were young, everyone has one, especially school kids. While we were outside doing things like playing dodge ball (laugh out loud) hiking in the woods and exploring the world, today’s kid can play games and chat with friends, not having to listen to mothers complaining of pine pitch everywhere or holes in jeans from rough football games.

The children of today are lucky in many ways, but they face many things that we didn’t as kids. As an example, on far too many occasions, some mentally deficient person has taken an automatic weapon to school and killed students and teachers alike. I don’t remember when I was in school of anything like that ever happening. Additionally, while sex was something we had to discover on our own, there is more than adequate representation on-line to bring today’s kids up to speed. Funny, this effect has done the job as everyone knows what to do, yet our birthrates are headed in the negative direction, pretty soon, we’ll know so much, there won’t be anyone left. Don’t tell Mama.

Our Boston teams, though 2023 has not been a huge success, have seen the Red Sox win the World Series in 2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018, the Celtics NBA Champions in 2008, the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011 and your Boston/New England Patriots the Super Bowl Championships of 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2019. For now, we have returned, temporarily, to the old adage “maybe next year”.

It's been a sad couple of years Papa, we’ve lost so many of our friends, who once frequented the confines of 361 Spring Street in our West Bridgewater. Chris Cross and Roy Piver and Bobby Fisher and Bruce Holmquist all of whom you knew well, have left us. Many others too.

The world is still turning, party’s bicker and call each other names, countries still bicker and send weekend rockets to kill. Global warming seems to be changing the climate, but the "Green" people are keeping us honest and many still would rather be dead than red. As for me, well, I sit and write, up here in Maine, living with sister Vicki and sister Shirley and her husband Phil.

I’ve had several pieces published and have spoken of you and Mama often, along with memories I carry of your combined love of family.

So, how does it feel to be 97? I imagine your take on the earth’s state, would entail a long-memorized speech by Cicero, proving that today is in direct correlation to Roman Greco times, and somehow relating it to today’s news, all without raising your head while doing the New York Times crossword, lefthanded with a ballpoint pen.

Anyway, that’s it from here, praying you have the best birthday ever, all my love, your son, David Jr.