By now, my in-law's have had their surprise 50th anniversary at which my Wife and older sister-in-law wanted me to say something. I would normally balk at this, I hate talking in front of people, but they are now very much family, so here goes...
If I have to say anything to you Mike and Dolores after more than 31 years of having you around it is very simply I love you and thank you. You two have given me the greatest gift anybody could ever give me, a worthy adversary. Vicky has the best attributes of the both of you wrapped in the perfect package for me. I don't know how true it is, but I heard stories that Mike was a scary man to work for, he pushed you and didn't let you get away with anything. Well, Vicky is her Mini-Me, people get out of her way at work, even the superintendent avoids her because she is a pain in the butt always pushing compliance down people's throats. But hey, that's what she was hired for. And as a matter of fact, I worked under Mike for a couple of weeks after I graduated high school at the Del Monte factory and he was fine. But like her Mama, Vicky is also one of the nicest people around. We have taken kids in for periods of time and she never flinches or acts like they are a bother. She has enough love for everyone that comes into our lives.
Going further back, I always knew Dolores, not as Vicky's mom but as the lady who worked at the Rex-all in Crystal City. Back in the 80's growing up, we could walk to downtown if we wanted to or when mom would go and it was one of the few cool places where they sold all kinds of stuff like guitars and cassettes which I remember staring at and there she would be, looking at you like she wasn't, making sure you weren't trying to steal. [This is a story she told me a while back.] When I first started seeing Vicky, even though she looked like this scary lady at the store, I made her panic because she comes in the house, I am inside the refrigerator and according to her I was making a verbal list of food they were missing and stuff they should have that I like to eat. Ever since that day, anytime I come over she is always ready with some cookies and now that I am older coffee. That is when you know someone likes you, when they care about what you say.
The two of you have also been great in that you have never gotten in our business about what we do or how we do it. I assume you trust that we are going to do the right thing for our boy's sake. I cannot say enough nice things about you, there are so many movies and stories about horrible in-laws but thankfully you two have been great. I consider myself I guess the best word is blessed because I have two great parents with a tight knit family and Vicky just blended right in, yet I come over here and Vicky has the same tight family and I feel like I blended right in. Shoot Michael's been copying my hairstyle since he met me, he has to have love for me. What more could I ask for?
I can only wish you another 50 happy years, thank you for being you or as the kids say "keeping it real." Love you.
[I did jump around and change some of the words on the fly, but this is what I had with me so I wouldn't choke and freeze up like poor Boy did. It was unfair that he didn't know ahead that he was going to talk. Both boys had been having fun poking at me for having to say stuff, it was one of those where I wanted to kick both Wife and my sister in-law in the assholes for surprising them like that. Boy got away because his genuine emotions swallowed the room in tears, but he is old enough that he should have prepared something if he knew this was coming. Javalina is such a little bullshitter and loves the sound of his voice that he was able to shine under fire.]
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