Tribute to Dad
I will be the first to admit that early memories of dad are not pleasant ones but they are not unpleasant either. I am a firm believer that observation is very useful learning tool. Dad taught me a lot with this method. For instance, drinking until your feet swells so much that you can’t walk is not an adventure that I wanted to partake in and still don’t. Going underground to make a living is yet another quest that I didn’t want to pursue, and still don’t. Fishing at Hubbard Hollow, ginsenging, hunting for ground hog, rabbits, squirrel, now that’s the experiences that I enjoyed, and still do. It makes no difference whether the experiences were good or bad, the point is that I learned from both.
Before I became a father myself, I was very judgmental with my memories. It didn’t take long for me to realize that being a dad was going to require more than just observational training. On the job training kicked in and is still ongoing. Watching someone swim doesn’t guarantee that you can jump in and take off like Mark Spitz. Observation is a good learning tool but not the one and only tool. I feel that dad was still learning up until the day he passed. I’m sure there were many untold regrets but also untold feelings of love and pride for his family.
Dad spoke few words but the few words spoken usually had profound messages. Me, “Dad do you really think that the wrestling on TV is real?” Dad, “It’s just as real as that Six Million Dollar Man that stands flat footed and jumps to the top of a six story building.” Ok, point taken! Mom, “Alfred did you hear that loud thump when I turned the hot water on?” “Hear it hell, I felt it”, he says while holding a blood soaked piece of toilet paper on his elbow. It seems as though dad was a victim of hot water stealith fromya, which is a result of someone turning on the hot water in the kitchen while you are in the shower thus taking the hot water from the shower faucet and transforming the mildly warm water into a cold burst of arctic spray, thus causing one to loose conscience and bounce off of the steel bathtub. Me, “Dad will you buy me a bicycle?” Dad, “Why in the world do you want to peddle your legs off just to give your ass a ride?” Point taken again!
We have all heard of the “fight or flight” reactions that we all contemplate when faced with adversity. I am thankful that dad chose the first option even though the “ fight” was not always pretty.
Before I became a father myself, I was very judgmental with my memories. It didn’t take long for me to realize that being a dad was going to require more than just observational training. On the job training kicked in and is still ongoing. Watching someone swim doesn’t guarantee that you can jump in and take off like Mark Spitz. Observation is a good learning tool but not the one and only tool. I feel that dad was still learning up until the day he passed. I’m sure there were many untold regrets but also untold feelings of love and pride for his family.
Dad spoke few words but the few words spoken usually had profound messages. Me, “Dad do you really think that the wrestling on TV is real?” Dad, “It’s just as real as that Six Million Dollar Man that stands flat footed and jumps to the top of a six story building.” Ok, point taken! Mom, “Alfred did you hear that loud thump when I turned the hot water on?” “Hear it hell, I felt it”, he says while holding a blood soaked piece of toilet paper on his elbow. It seems as though dad was a victim of hot water stealith fromya, which is a result of someone turning on the hot water in the kitchen while you are in the shower thus taking the hot water from the shower faucet and transforming the mildly warm water into a cold burst of arctic spray, thus causing one to loose conscience and bounce off of the steel bathtub. Me, “Dad will you buy me a bicycle?” Dad, “Why in the world do you want to peddle your legs off just to give your ass a ride?” Point taken again!
We have all heard of the “fight or flight” reactions that we all contemplate when faced with adversity. I am thankful that dad chose the first option even though the “ fight” was not always pretty.