Happy (belated) Birthday, Dad!

A happy belated birthday to my dad, Budd Malchus, Sr., who turned 71 on Saturday. Although we don't always see eye to eye, I challenge any son to tell me that he and his father always meet eye to eye. My dad and I have grown closer as he's gotten older. Perhaps my favorite experience in recent years was last October when he came out to help paint our house. As we cheered the Indians on to victory over those damned Yankees, he shared many stories about his youth and growing up in rural North Olmsted, Ohio. It was during that week that I decided that I'm going to begin videotaping him and my mom. Our family needs to know the Malchus and Lamb history. Mom and Dad were in Alabama for a wedding (from the Alabama side of the Malchus family). I got to speak to him yesterday and wish him a happy b-day. As usual, we ended our conversation with me saying, "We love you, Dad," and him responding, "Same here." Some things you never outgrow. I can't recall the last time my old man actually said he loves me, but after so many tormented years in my childhood of feeling unloved, I have no doubt that both he and my mom love us all dearly.

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