June 12 is one of the days I never miss. Sometimes it sneaks up on me. Sometimes I see it coming for weeks. But, regardless, I never miss this day.
This year I saw it coming weeks away. Twenty years ago on June 12, 2000, my friend Howard Tayler doodled a cartoon. He doodled again the next day and the next, and the next. And he kept doodling every day for twenty years. He never missed a day.
His cartoon is called Schlock Mercenary. The main character is a silicon based life form that looks like a pile of poop. Over the years, he’s created literally hundreds of characters, thousands of worlds, and even managed to span a couple of galaxies.
Ten years ago, a few of us threw a party for Schlock, and my friend Howard. June 12 will forever be the day that my friend’s creation came to life. It’s Schlock’s birthday.
But, June 12 is also a day of sadness for me.
June 12, 2009, my father passed away. It wasn’t unexpected. But, it was still sad. I don’t remember my Dad’s birthday. It’s in April and I could look it up. But, it never really stuck with me. Honestly, I wasn’t there, of course. And I didn’t even meet my dad until I was 11 years old. And he hated birthdays.
So, happy June 12th. Happy birthday to Schlock Mercenary. And I get to remember my Father. A man that was hard to love, but wonderful to know.
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Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren.
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