Father's Day Memories

Father's Day. Memories Swirl

Father. As I look in the mirror and begin to tie my tie I remember how I learned . My Father taught me. And this really is a symbol of how much I am indebted to him. He lost most of his hearing when he was a young boy way out in the country. His ears burst and home remedies were futile. So he spent his whole life straining to understand and hear. He missed a lot. But so did we. But looking back I want to thank him for so much, more than learning to tie a tie. He worked in a textile mill from age 21 until his retirement. Those early days he worked sometimes twelve hours a day--seven days a week. He worked in a huge mill at a time when it was no air conditioning. It is hard to imagine working in that hot Georgia heat day after day. But he did when he could. The other day I found the letter the President of the mill wrote him when he had been working there for forty years. It was a thank-you note on engraved stationery for all those yers of faithfulness. There was no gift, no bonus. I wonder what he thought as he read that letter. He died when he was 67 years old. Two years after retirement his heart just gave out. I have no prizes to award him. But I remember the day I learned to tie my tie and so many other things.

And for me that is enough.

 Son. Funny story.  When my son was in the cub scouts every member was to enter the pinewood derby. Which meant--from scratch he and his father was to build a little car which would race against the others in the derby. Whew. I had no skills for building a race car or any car. So I spent a lot of time muttering and saying I did not have a clue. But together my son and I somehow pieced together a pitiable racing car. The night of the race the cars were on display. Ours was the saddest car in the race. It looked like the wheels would come off. And I was embarrassed for him and for me too. The engineers were there in full force. Their cars were something. They had calibrated them and weighed them knowing they just would win or place. And the whistle blew and the cars started down the ramp. Curve after curve they ran. I wanted to run away.  Guess what? My son won the Pinewood Derby. He beat out all the engineering kids and all the others. Just yesterday he sent me the first place ribbon he won. The caption said: "Winner." He still is.

Daughter. I still remember that after her divorce my daughter had a very difficult time. She had two daughters and she taught school. Everything was hard. And Christmas time for her present she invited my wife and me to a Robert Shaw Christmas Concert in Atlanta. How could she do this? The tickets were expensive. And yet she insisted. And that night we went with her to the concert sitting close to the front. It was magnificent. And I looked over at her face--beaming and shining. Life got better much better. Both daughters finished college. She got married again. Life is  good. But I still remember that hard evening and that Christmas gift and the smile on her face. 

--Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com