At ARM's length, no more

He was my role model, my demanding boss, my harshest critic, my most patient mentor, my most ardent supporter, my fellow rabid sports fan and in the last years of his life, truly my best friend.

December 27 is my father's birthday. He would have been 74 this year.

Antonio R. Mercado: Tony to friends, Loloy to relatives, ARM to employees and friends in the advertising world, Boss to his farm family, Dad to Mom, An & Boots, Wawel & Mila, Miguel & Aimee, Paolo & Dana, Gabe, Sam and me, and Grand Dad to Therese, Gio, Luis and Rocio.

Diego, Pepi, Beeto and Gabi never got to meet you but they've heard many stories about you and playfully greet your bust in Mom's house.

I love you, Dad. And I most certainly miss you.

I miss the chats. I miss the Circles. I miss your cool sandals. I miss your little notes and text messages. And I miss just quietly sitting beside you in the car or across you at the dinner table.

How I wish you could have met Patty. I remember you saying as you lay in the ICU how you pray that I would meet someone new. Someone younger who would take care of me. You knew I was a "softy" and needed and need to be cared for!.

I found her, Dad. You would have loved Patty!

She loves kids. And your grand kids love her, Therese and Rocio particularly.

She cooks and bakes well and works hard at running the house.

She's a very good mother and a lovely wife.

And she's my new best friend! I love talking to her, after dinner, after Gabi goes to bed. Just making kuwento about anything and everything. Making small talk about politics, life and future plans. Laughing at the corniest jokes. Making chismis about this person and that. Just like we used too! Okay, except maybe for the chismis part.

How I wish you could have met Gabi. He's super kulit but a constant source of joy and thanksgiving.

Like Paolo he's left handed but right brained too! Like Miguel, he's quite active and into sports. Like Wawel, he loves motorcyles (which doesn't please Mom at all!). Like Gabe, he is a showman and loves the attention. Like Mom and An, he loves books and enjoys reading. Like Sam, he can be maarte at times but always wears a charming smile. And like you, he likes mentoring and directing, mimicking his teachers all the time, lining up and lecturing to his toy cars about where to stand and when to sing for their Christmas pageant.

I know I may have caused you pain in the last few years of your life. I was mad, I was proud and I took it out on you. Yes, I deliberately stayed at arm's length from you.

But I will eternally be grateful to God that He gave me another chance and led me back to your warm arms' embrace.

Feliz cumpleanos, Dad. Y un fuerte abrazo de mi parte!