This year Father’s Day falls on June 19. By that time, it will have been almost six months since I’ve last seen my dad, who’s probably fussing over opening the pool for the summer somewhere back in Ontario.

My dad had taken vacation time off work (he’s a firefigher captain in Hamilton) to help move me from Ontario to Invermere. He drove three days out of Ontario, over the border into the United States, west to Montana, and then back over into British Columbia. My little car was towed behind his massive red truck the entire way.

The truck was one of his first “big toys” that he bought, as far as I can remember. Despite my dad’s towering figure and rather menacing bald head and moustache, he was always a bit of a kid at heart, complete with a gleeful giggle of a laugh, oddly enough.

After the big, shiny red pick-up truck came the ATV. He left to do some dry-walling one day and came back home with it. My two younger sisters were overjoyed, as was he. My mom wasn’t quite as impressed. After the ATV came the boat. The boat wasn’t a “surprise” this time since we could see my dad planning where it was going to be parked – under a giant tent in the drive-way in front of the garage.

All his toys were eventually enjoyed by the family though, despite their costs. My dad has never been happier to plow the drive-way in the winter since he’s stuck the plow to the front of the ATV. The family can always look forward to boat rides in the summer time. And I wouldn’t be here if not for that big red truck.

So for this year’s Father’s Day, let dad have his fun. You’ll have just as much in the end too.