I mentioned previously that my husband lost his Father at a very early age.
What I didn’t tell you is that his father committed suicide.
One day, he just didn’t feel like living anymore.
He and his wife, my husband’s Mother, had split up and filed for divorce.
They talked about reconciling. But it didn’t happen.
Two days before he died, he bought a single track record by the Manhattans, entitled, “Kiss and Say Goodbye”. He listened to it over, and over, and over.
I have this record in my possession. I fondle it sometimes, and I wonder.
I wonder what life would be like if he’d pulled himself through. If he’d just gotten past that difficult time in his life and decided to stick around for the two little boys he left behind. I wonder what kind of man he would have grown into. I wonder what kind of Father he would have been.
I’ve never listened to the record, and neither has my husband. We just can’t.
We can’t. Because it’s been so many years, and life…. well, life has to go on.
Here are the lyrics to that song. While I don’t know the melody that accompanies them, they haunt me.
At the same time, I’m so glad he took a moment to say good-bye.
Manhattans – Kiss And Say Goodbye Lyrics
Album: Best Of-Kiss & Say Goodbye
This has got to be the saddest day of my life
I called you here today for a bit of bad news
I won’t be able to see you anymore
Because of my obligations, and the ties that you have
We’ve been meeting here everyday
And since this is our last day together
I wanna hold you just one more time
When you turn and walk away, don’t look back
I wanna remember you just like this
Let’s just kiss and say goodbye
I had to meet you here today
There’s just so many things to say
Please don’t stop me ’til I’m through
This is something I hate to do
We’ve been meeting here so long
I guess what we’ve done, oh was wrong
Please darlin’, don’t you cry
Let’s just kiss and say goodbye (Goodbye!)
Many months have passed us by
(I’m gonna miss you)
I’m gonna miss you, I can’t lie
(I’m gonna miss you)
I’ve got ties, and so do you
I just think this is the thing to do
It’s gonna hurt me, I can’t lie
Maybe you’ll meet, you’ll meet another guy
Understand me, won’t you try, try, try, try, try, try, try
Let’s just kiss and say goodbye (Goodbye!)
Hmmmm
(I’m gonna miss you)
I’m gonna miss you, I can’t lie
(I’m gonna miss you)
Understand me, won’t you try
(I’m gonna miss you)
It’s gonna hurt me, I can’t lie
(I’m gonna miss you)
Take my handkerchief and wipe your eyes
(I’m gonna miss you)
Maybe you’ll find, you’ll find another guy
(I’m gonna miss you)
Let’s kiss and say goodbye, pretty baby
(I’m gonna miss you)
Please, don’t you cry
(I’m gonna miss you)
Understand me, won’t you try
(I’m gonna miss you)
Let’s just kiss and say goodbye
Good-bye, Wayne. Your son has grown into such a wonderful man. You would be proud.
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10 replies on “Kiss and Say Goodbye”
Wow. I lost my dad at a young age too. I don’t think you ever get over it. But life moves forward and you always wonder.
Wow indeed. I wasn’t as young when I lost mine, but I know about losing a dad under difficult circumstances like that.
How sad and awful. I’m very sorry.
I’m glad your husband had support from others and turned into such a loving husband and father.
Really tough. I’m sorry that he (and you!) have had to go through this.
Wow. That is a very haunting song. My biological father died before I was born of a freak heart issue (he was 21). My mom remarried and I have been blessed with an amazing father. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if he would have lived.
I know two people whose parents killed themselves. One of them will never ever be the same. It’s so incredibly sad to hear that people find life so unbearable that they have end their own.
my father committed suicide when i was 15. its been 13 years and i still think about it every single day. then when i was 20, i broke up with my boyfriend at the time and the next day he committed suicide. i think about that everyday too.
i wonder how different life would be if things had gone differently. i wonder what they would be doing. i wonder what i would have done if i didn’t have to deal with that.
when i was in my hometown to i took my baby to my father’s gravesite. and i cried because they would never meet. i cried because my father would never be the grandfather he was supposed to be. and i wondered how the hell i was going to explain it to my son when he was older and asked where mommy’s daddy was.
I just barely skimmed that and just coudln’t bring myself to read it. How horribly tragic. I am very close to my father, I could not imagine. Just a reminder to people that depression kills.
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