What I Left Behind

Let My Hair Down

Once the priest was finished with his speech. He looked over at me and said "would you like to say a few words miss Friel" .

I then nervously nodded and began to stand , as l made my way over l felt like everyone was watching me while l made every move. I felt a little worried that l would stutter or say something stupid but l tried to keep calm. Once l made it to the alter l took a deep breath. Ready. Go.

"As most of you will know by now , l was Frank Friels daughter. I lived in New York most f my life but spent my whole childhood here with him and my mother .There's so many words to describe my dad and its hard to come up with a good enough description of how he personally was. He cared about not only me or the rest of his family but everyone. He once even got told about an old man who lived himself and couldn't properly look after himself right and wasn't coping living himself since his late wife had passed.

When my father got told he went straight to the mans house and offered to make him supper, he then offered to him that he could be looked after if he stayed at my dads house to get back on track and my father would do anything to make his life better than what it was.

Now that old man that lived only a few roads away, was a complete stranger to my dad. Yet when my dad found out that he could help him he took the chance and carried the weight off the mans shoulders. There are so many incidents where he has done similar things for many different kinds of people and l know that for certain if people had known my father he would help them if they ever had a problem. Even when l lived 19 years away from my father l always thought that he would be fine by himself, but l was wrong.

On ever letter he sent to me he not once said that he had cancer and was suffering it for 3 years, not once. It was all about me , and that just goes to show how much of a special person that he truly was. Yes , he had his faults with gambling and drinking but in his case with the little amount of money he made with the family he had to give to .No wonder he was like the way he was. I just hope that from now on that he is always loved and thought of , because l bet he helped every single of you right in this very church!. From large to small , it doesn't matter.

He changed our lives and it was always for better. "

As l finished my speech l got down from the arch and sat down back to my previous seat and stayed quiet till th preist started to talk. Although everyone was silent .It felt like forever until l heard a few cheers at the back row .Then l heard clapping and l felt some people tap my back to congratulate my speech.

I then saw Jason who kept his eyes on me the whole entire time. I couldn't help but stare back at his eyes .He had no emotion in his face until he burst into a smile and once again put his hand on top of mines as the priest began to speak.

After the funeral he all headed to the local pub , as it was my dads favourite of course .I sat in the far end table that was in the shade of the corner of the room and looked around the people that where in the room with me .A lot of people praised my speech and l was thankful for it .

As l looked around l suddenly noticed my Uncle Mic come towards me .I then broke into a grin and ran into his arms "Well hello to you to my favourite niece!" he spoke with pride, he always was the funny one in my family and always claimed he was the better child between my dad and him. I laughed as we sat down together "How have you been Uncle? , l hope you are doing well back in Texas. He grinned back at the word and told me about his travels. He always was a traveller, he always loved to go to different places and explore. He always worked so hard though so save up his money to even go which l always admired about him because he was living his dream.

"well all l can say , is that l love it , you know full well how much l do. You father always told you so anyways when l wasn't able to tell the tale. He said with a chuckle ."I know its going to be hard to get used to the fact he is gone but l know l will adapt, its just hard to think that l haven't even saw him in 19 years." l said with a sigh. "Cheryl your father would have been so proud of you , he knows you too well , whether you like it or not.

He always thought about you and never once blamed you for leaving". "And l am not going to lie once you did leave though his gambling became alot worse and he would find it hard with keeping up with bills a lot but he then just suddenly stopped and no one could figure put why?" he then added "but about a year later when he got a little too drunk he explained that he had a picture of you in his mind , and every time he gambled it was just like a instant memory of how he lost you.so he stopped". I was silent , l didn't know at to say or how to react. Once he finished he said his goodbyes and made his way back to the bar. I stayed silent while l seen Jason walk towards me .As usual the smile was clear in his face "Hey good looking "he said in his little accent .

I laughed without second thought. We spoke for a couple of hours until we heard the bartender shout happy hour. I then took that as my cue to get up from the table and get some drinks, although while l thought about it , l already seen Jason order them for both of us.

I thanked him and poured the alcohol straight down my throat. "wow Cheryl, at least let ,me finish my first drink before you drink your third!!" he said with a smirk.

Although l laughed aloud already having the effect from alcohol. I knew l needed some me time and l needed to let my hair down a little so l continued to talk and laugh with my old buddy.