Gangy is my main man. His full name is Julian Thomas Roberts but I often call him “Knothead” like he used to call me when I was little. He is the father of my mother and I love him as much as I love any other human on this sphere rock and water. 

Gangy taught me how to work hard. He taught me to “never do a half-assed job”, how to use a variety of power tools and make some killer fried shrimp. He taught me a few cuss words and he showed me how to weld and clean a gun. He taught me to clean speckled perch when I would go stay with him in his RV at Lake Okeechobee, one of my greatest childhood memories.

On the trips down there we would wake up at sunrise, take out his pontoon boat (which I called “Gangy’s Ship”) and pull in loads of fish on cane poles. We would lay around in the afternoon and watch old westerns, In the Heat of the Night, and Baywatch. I would pull out my pocket knife and clean the dirt out from underneath my fingernails just like he did. Then we’d go fishing again, come back and watch westerns until it was time for bed.

He had a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina too. I’d go up there and stay with him and hunt squirrels and rabbits with my pellet gun. Then I’d work with Gangy. He always had a project going and I was his shadow. Building rock walls, making things out of sheet metal and wood. Learning. Soaking in his handiness and resourcefulness. He even built a full one bedroom apartment above his garage with a bathroom and kitchen when he was in his 80’s. He worked everyday well into his 80’s. When it was time for a break we would ride ATV’s way up into the mountains or target practice with a .22 rifle.

Gangy was always there for me. He would come to my baseball and hockey games. In college he would slip me a couple twenty dollar bills every now and then because he knew I didn’t have much. 

I love my Gangy so much, but he is not doing well. He is 91 now and in the hospital with pneumonia. I just talked to him and he did not sound good. I haven’t cried in a long time but tears are falling as I write this.

Thank you Gangy for teaching me about being a man. Thank you for all you’ve done for me and all that you’ve taught me. I love you and I will make you proud.