To my father....

Well my dad isn't afraid to tell people, in fact he is excited, so I'll just say it. Today is his "Senior Citizen" birthday. Yup, he is 65. I want to dedicate this post to him. Happy birthday daddy!
In the Muslim culture, the first born son is always named Muhammed then you are named your first name, then your father's, then your grandfather's then your great grandfather's then your last name. That is your full name so my father's full name is Muhammed Hisam Adib Sherrif Ibrahim Shaboon. Say that ten times fast! He shortened his name to Sam.....
He was born in Damascus, Syria in 1944.
He grew up in a middle to upper class society and home.
He has 2 younger siblings who are 3 and 5 years younger and from what they tell me, he was always the bravest and kindest older brother ever. He never picked fights or picked on them. Amazing!
He grew up normal and loved the ladies. In fact, one time he was on his little scooter and while passing a girl he liked, he put out his hand to softly graze her face and when he looked back, she was on the ground in tears cause he was going faster than he thought and slapped her onto the ground.
He went on to the American University in Beirut and got his Bachelors degree in Business.
He moved to the States with only a few hundred dollars in the 60's and opened his first restaurant called Sam's Place. It was a burger joint. He actually made a little meal for children with a burger, fries, a small drink and a toy and named it the Happy Meal....but he didn't patent the name.....too bad!
He lived in West Hollywood where he met a model from Sweden and 45 days after they met, they got married in City Hall.

Acapulco, Mexico 1981 They later moved up by San Francisco. That model is my mother!
When I was a baby, my dad opened a restaurant with a low to non-fat menu called The Skinny Gourmet. I remember there was a soft serve machine there and I used to love gettting free ice cream cones.
My dad opened a cafe on Market Street in downtown San Francisco called Pastell's and that was real fun! I remember seeing a naked man run down Market in the cold of Winter....always something like that in San Fran.
My dad was so dedicated to this bakery/cafe that he used to get up at 4:30am every morning to be at the cafe at 6:00a for the morning commuters. He worked so hard and stayed until evening to provide for us. I remember him coming home all the time with bags of candy for my brother and I. What fun! He always played hide and seek with us and was such a great father. He never spanked us....not that we didn't need it from time to time, but he never laid an unkind hand towards us. He provided the kind of money that made it possible for us to travel every Summer to exotic places and eat at very nice restaurants. I always felt so loved by him and mother. They both provided mea nd my brother with such a happy and healthy, loving childhood.
In 1989, we moved up to Sebastopol, Ca and my dad started a restaurant called The East West cafe and to this day, that is his legacy. This restaurant has brought so many blessings to our family but it is my dad's dedication and hardwork that has made it all happen.
My father and I have gone on many father daughter dates. I remember in 8th grade, he needed to drive down to San Francisco and get some restaurant supplies and he pulled me out of school to go with him for the day. We not only got the supplies but we went shopping like crazy in Union square! That was a blast! He also used to take my brother and I to A's and Giants games all the time. We were a huge baseball family.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! You are the BEST father I could have ever dreamt of having and you are an amazing grandfather too as you treat each one of your grandsons with love and playfullness. Thank you for being my shining star and as I always say, you walk with angel steps through your compassion, kindness, generosity and general love and zest for life and people.
Some songs that remind me of my dad when I hear them are:
More than a Feeling by Boston.
Wildest dreams by The Moody Blues.
Stir it up by Bob Marley.
Thriller by MJ
What a feeling by the Flashdance soundtrack.
Any Chicago or Eagles song.

Dad and I Summer 2003 at a little New England town outside of Boston.
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Here it is. This cracks Matt up almost daily.....Dad and I on a camel in Egypt 1989