A new memorial.

A few weeks after Dad died, we learned our town would celebrate its centennial by planting trees. It seemed like a fitting memorial for Dad, so I signed up immediately. Recently, we learned that though the trees have been planted, there is a delay in installing the medallions to mark them. Today, we found Dad's Sweet Bay Magnolia in our city park adjoining Mobile Bay. I could not have hoped for a more beautiful memorial.  

Mis-chee-vee-uhs Melvin.

Dad was more than a little mischievous.

Right down to his pronunciation of the word: [mis-chee-vee-uhs]. 

He was not above playing pranks on his children and/or grandchildren, or even using one of them as an accomplice.

Take for example, his favorite color. It does not come as a surprise to anyone who has known me very long that my favorite color is purple. Certainly, it was an easy guess for anyone seeing a little girl dressed in purple plastic clogs and purple plaid pants. So, Dad taught me to have people guess what his favorite color was. 

The answer, of course, was not just an ordinary color, but "Money Green". 

Another of his favorite pranks involved my dolls. As a three year old, I got twin baby dolls for Christmas - Jack & Jenny. I loved these dolls, and I carried them everywhere. Dad encouraged it. They had all sorts of accessories, including complicated, button-closure diapers. Dad loved nothing more than to direct me towards some unsuspecting childless adult (preferably the most timid person in the room) to "help me change" my dolls' diapers. 

You see, Jack & Jenny looked exactly the same - until you removed their diapers. They were anatomically correct.

Then, there are rice bags. Today, most newly married couples exit the church surrounded by bells, bubbles, rose petals, or bird seed. But once upon a time, they were showered with rice. For certain, special brides, Dad did not bother taking the painstakingly prepared tulle-wrapped bundles of rice provided at the wedding reception. 

Discreetly tucked inside Dad's jacket was his own bag of rice - a five pound bag - from which he would hurl whole handfuls of rice. For at least one really special bride, he ran up to wrap his arms around her in a bear hug - while simultaneously pouring rice down her dress. 

Another one of Dad's long-standing favorite stunts involved tiny water pistols. In the rain. Which doesn't make a lot of sense until you hear how he used them. Dad would secretly aim at the head of someone who was using an umbrella. Then, he would stand back and giggle as the person searched the underside of his or her umbrella looking for the leak.

When the person abandoned the search for the hole in the umbrella, he would shoot again.  

And again.

Dad understood that a great prank required preparation -  and patience. He was willing to go to great lengths for a laugh. And, if you were ever the victim of one of his shenanigans - know that he really liked you - he didn't waste the effort on those he didn't like.