"Cranberry Juice"

Cranberry juice. My dad loved cranberry juice. I liked it too, but every time I’d try to drink some my mom would come up and say “No, that’s for you’re dad,” so I’d put it back. But every so often when I’d get really mad at him I’d sneak into the kitchen and get that bottle of cranberry juice and pour me a cup. I’d think to myself, “I may have to do my homework and finish it before eleven o’clock, but I’m gonna have some cranberry juice while I do. I know we’ve all probably had those moments of, “I’m right and they’re wrong,” but when I think about it, my dad was only doing what a father should. He’d used to tell me stories about his childhood and how his father, my grandfather, would whip him into shape, make sure he had a good education, and taught him the life lessons that nobody really wants to learn. My dad has done the same for me. I know he’s even here helping me out today. I look around and see all the people he knew and know that they’re gathered here today because of him. You know there’s that saying, “You’ve got some big shoes to fill,” well I’m actually wearing my dad’s shoes today. When I was walking up here my heels would start to pop out of the back. And, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fill these shoes, but at least I’ll be able to walk in them.

David A. Leon