Ethan "Trey" Tang:  2004-

Speaking of birthdays, a very belated - and very happy - one to Ethan H. "Trey" Tang - born March 29th, 2004.  (He's the first child of my fellow techie at work, Thu Tang - which is why I'm calling him "Trey". (grin))









Mother and son are doing wonderfully!!!  Father's a little shaky... :-)

Congratulations, Thu!!!

Bill Crager:  1923-1975

Today, April 6th, 2004, would have been my father's 81st birthday.  (Props to my brother for remembering it - which pisses me off somewhat, since I'm usually the one to remind him  thereof. (sigh))

My father was what many of you would euphemistically call an "alcoholic".  Being the anti-PC type that I am (grin), I call him what he was - a drunkard.

Bill Crager was the nicest guy on the face of the earth; he would give you the shirt off his back, anything he could do to help.  When he was sober.

After tossing back a few, he was the last person anyone - yours truly included - wanted to be around.

It's small surprise, therefore, that my everlasting memory of him was one particular day after school when he'd obviously tipped a few.  He became brash, very loudmouthed, very abusive - and I decided I didn't want to take any more. At the age of 11 years, I high-tailed it out of his apartment on Fort Worth's west side, and ran to my mother's place of business about a mile away.

Don't quite remember what happened after that, but I do remember it didn't help any.  He continued to drink up until a few weeks before his death of a coronary at age 52.

I miss the sober Bill Crager.  I miss him tremendously.  What little bit I saw of him, that is.

I don't  miss the Mr. Hyde portion of his personality when he was drunk.  Not one damned bit.  For what it's worth.

Happy birthday, Dad.