10 Years

I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since my Pap left this earth.  He was the glue that held our family together and I wish more than anything that he were still here with us.  I wish I could sit down and talk to him.  I wish I still heard the clink of ice in his Smurf glass; the smell of Pepsi will always remind me of him.  I wish I could walk out to his garage and watch him working away in his wood shop.  I wish that Ryan and all my cousins’ husbands and wives had the opportunity to know him.  I wish he were here to play with all of his great grand-children.  I can picture him laughing and inappropriately teaching them “pull my finger” and “full moon.”  I wish his time on this earth hadn’t been limited to 73 years.  I was barely an adult when he left and some of my cousins were still pretty young.  Call me selfish, but I would have liked more time with him.  We all would.  More time to tell him how much he meant to me, more time to make memories, just more time.

Pap loved to sing the Unicorn Song by the Irish Rovers.  It always made me laugh and smile because it was such a silly song.  I hope he and Sam are chasing lots of unicorns together in Heaven.  I love you Pap!


Unicorn Song

A long time ago, when the Earth was green
There was more kinds of animals than you've ever seen
They'd run around free while the Earth was being born
And the loveliest of all was the unicorn

There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn

The Lord seen some sinning and it gave Him pain
And He says, "Stand back, I'm going to make it rain"
He says, "Hey Noah, I'll tell you what to do
Build me a floating zoo,
and take some of those...

Green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
Don't you forget my unicorns

Old Noah was there to answer the call
He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall
He marched the animals two by two
And he called out as they came through
Hey Lord,

I've got green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I'm so forlorn
I just can't find no unicorns"

And Noah looked out through the driving rain
Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games
Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling
Oh, them silly unicorns

There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Noah cried, "Close the door because the rain is falling
And we just can't wait for no unicorns"

The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide
The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried
And the waters came down and sort of floated them away
That's why you never see unicorns to this very day

You'll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
You're never gonna see no unicorns

Now you might think this is the ending to the song,
But I'll have to tell you friends that in fact you're wrong
You see, Unicorns are magical, so when the rain started pouring,
They grew themselves some wings and they took to soaring.

You'll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
But if you're looking for the unicorns, don't be forlorn,
The second star to the right and straight on until morning.