5:36 a.m.

Today I turn 39 years old.

Two things come into mind, the first is that I now have 11 years to complete my ultimate goal of reading 1,000,000 pages.

The other one is when the clock marks 5:36 a.m.

According to my father that was the exact hour of my birth.

Since I moved out of my parents house he had the tradition of calling me exactly at that hour and reminiscence about that day.

It didn’t matter if I went out, and had a few to many, there it was, the traditional phone call, in all it’s mocking and sarcastic glory that was typical of my father.

I guess is one of the things that I miss the most about him.

Now it will be the third time in almost 4 decades that my phone won’t ring.

But still I hold it in my hand 2 minutes before the hour, with a glimmer of hope.

5:36, nothing.

5:37, still nothing.

5:39, oh well maybe next year.

I am grateful that his voice still rings in my ears, and with the classic opening opening line ” I remember 36 years ago, it was about 3:00 a.m. , and you decided it was time to enter this world, oh, by the way, I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

No Pops, you didn’t, but I wish you would more time.