我喜欢听他的睡前故事，喜欢他用手做出各种影子动物逗我开心，喜欢听他唱歌。他的歌喉可以说是半个专业的了。后来年纪大了，喜欢上了卡拉OK，经常飙高音过瘾。《小小竹排江中游》、《在那桃花盛开的地方》、《莫斯科郊外的晚上》......永远回荡在我的记忆里。还喜欢唱英文歌曲 One day when we were young.
Back when I was a child Before life removed all the innocence My father would lift me high And dance with my mother and me and then Spin me around till I fell asleep Then up the stairs he would carry me And I knew for sure I was loved If I could get another chance Another walk, another dance with him I'd play a song that would never ever end How I'd love, love, love to dance with my father again, ooh When I and my mother would disagree To get my way I would run from her to him He'd make me laugh just to comfort me, yeah, yeah Then finally make me do just what my momma said Later that night when I was asleep He left a dollar under my sheet Never dreamed that he would be gone from me If I could steal one final glance, one final step One final dance with him I'd play a song that would never ever end 'Cause I'd love, love, love to dance with my father again Sometimes I'd listen outside her door And I'd hear how my mother cried for him I pray for her even more than me I pray for her even more than me I know I'm praying for much too much But could you send back the only man she loved? I know you don't do it usually But dear Lord she's dying to dance with my father again Every night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream
父亲是2018年去世的，享年九十。那一年也是他和母亲结婚六十周年纪念。我们在他的病房为他们俩切蛋糕庆祝。
我是家里的小女儿，兄长比我大很多，所以我应该是被宠大的吧？对儿时的记忆里充满坐在父亲肩膀上、吊在父亲胳膊上、枕在父亲臂弯里的感受。记得他和我一起等公共汽车，车子来了就抱我去挤，但是又觉得自己一身戎装不和纪律，于是就让我抱着他的帽子。
家里的纪律也是很严明的，可是我会搞破坏，比如从抽屉后面偷他锁在里面的糖吃。会为了养猫而写长长的"控诉书"，给他贴"大字报"。当然，我也特别得意他去给我开家长会，唯一不爽的是他去得比较少，而每次回来必定要有"骄傲使人落后"、"高易折皎易污"的训诫。
我喜欢听他的睡前故事，喜欢他用手做出各种影子动物逗我开心，喜欢听他唱歌。他的歌喉可以说是半个专业的了。后来年纪大了，喜欢上了卡拉OK，经常飙高音过瘾。《小小竹排江中游》、《在那桃花盛开的地方》、《莫斯科郊外的晚上》......永远回荡在我的记忆里。还喜欢唱英文歌曲 One day when we were young.
父亲年轻时身强体壮，射击达到运动员的水平。身体协调能力好，舞也跳得好。他是我人生第一个舞伴。当年和母亲是单位里引人注目的舞场伴侣。
父亲的厨艺更是认识他的人都赞叹的。南北大菜，中西美食，自己爱吃会做，也喜欢喝酒。喝高了会飘飘然，却从来没醉过。也许几首好诗就会在毛笔下流出来吧？家里还有他不少书稿，被兄长仔细地收藏着。
七八十岁的时候，父亲开始学习电脑，会发照片、视频，每次给和我女儿讲一个"鸡汤"故事。女儿现在还记得回北京姥爷家，随着姥爷的二胡伴奏唱歌的情景。父亲的音乐细胞不知道是哪里来的，可是不少民乐乐器他都无师自通：二胡、扬琴、柳琴、笛子，外加口琴，小时候都带着我们玩。
他喜欢旅游，中国大地几乎走遍，欧美大陆也留下了他的足迹。2017年我女儿报考大学，他居然还能说出来几个美国名校。他不知道为啥特别崇拜哈佛，对外孙女说："这世界上只有两所大学：哈佛和非哈佛。"把我们笑得要命。结果他心爱的外孙女还就偏偏不喜欢哈佛，而是报考了年轻的斯坦福。在2018年初他躺在病床上的时候，听闻外孙女报喜被提早录取，他百思不解。后来我们给他解释，那个学校也还过得去，他才释怀。
父亲年轻时，经常被人误认为一个电影明星---孙道临。我翻看老照片，看着父亲年轻的面孔，总是百感交集。他是那么帅气，尤其是一身军服的样子；那么健壮，似乎永远不会生病，不会倒下。
然而没有人可以长存于世。我在北京父亲的病榻前陪了他三个月，最终在一天夜里接到换班的兄长的电话。急急地赶去医院，他已经不在了。
出殡的那日，我和兄长坐在灵车上。我扶着父亲的棺柩，为他轻声吟唱他最喜爱的歌曲：
One day when we were young
又是清明，记得我小时候父亲给我讲"清明时节雨纷纷"，他还玩断句的游戏： 清明时节雨 纷纷路上行人 欲断魂 借问酒家何处 有牧童遥指 杏花村 可惜过去的几年都无法回去看望他，只得让兄长在墓前替我洒一杯酒。而我在写作的文字里，埋入了很多关于父亲的印象。我在大洋彼岸的旧金山，遥望父亲长眠的八宝山。我知道他在天堂一定也过得很精彩，一如他过去的一世： 戎马铁骨，歌酒豪情。That wonderful morning in May
You told me you loved me
When we were young one day
Back when I was a childBefore life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then
Spin me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure I was loved If I could get another chance
Another walk, another dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
How I'd love, love, love to dance with my father again, ooh When I and my mother would disagree
To get my way I would run from her to him
He'd make me laugh just to comfort me, yeah, yeah
Then finally make me do just what my momma said
Later that night when I was asleep
He left a dollar under my sheet
Never dreamed that he would be gone from me If I could steal one final glance, one final step
One final dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
'Cause I'd love, love, love to dance with my father again Sometimes I'd listen outside her door
And I'd hear how my mother cried for him
I pray for her even more than me
I pray for her even more than me I know I'm praying for much too much
But could you send back the only man she loved?
I know you don't do it usually
But dear Lord she's dying to dance with my father again
Every night I fall asleep and this is all I ever dream