“I know just how you feel because I have had these deep,
loving relationships with men in my life,
and all my wives were jealous.”
– Vincent Price’s response when his daughter, Victoria Price,
came out to him as a lesbian. And suddenly, all the pieces fall into place.

Last week, we celebrated the 30^th anniversary of this weekly column.  That works out to over 1,500 columns – each of which had about 1,500 words.  Oh, the symmetry is almost poetic.  I, for one, can’t believe I’ve done the same thing, day in, day out, for 30 years.  One minute you’re celebrated as the voice of several generations, and the next minute, you celebrate something a bit closer to home – the life of Big Daddy Masters.  Yes, at the age of 92, my father passed away after a relatively short illness.  I know popular convention says I should feel sad about this, but all in all, I’m mostly filled with gratitude.  I had a parent who was inexplicably always proud of me – and trust me, that was no small feat.  He didn’t always say it, but I always knew.  With the passage of time and knowing many people who had contentious relationships with their parents, I’m acutely aware of how lucky I was.  Rest in peace.