This is a hard topic to write about, as we never really got a chance to know him. He was a big influence in our lives, as far as our interests (history, music, sports etc) I spent hours with him in fishing boats, but the only conversation I remember was " Quit making so much noise" Quit moving around" or "Where are the worms?" We grew up in an era where feelings were never expressed. There are so many questions I would have liked to ask him now that I am older.
As I have gotten older I have understood some things about him better. I remember being teased by him, nothing malicious, just kind of playing with you. I do the same thing with people I like, If I don't like you I wont say anything to you. So I guess it's a male bonding thing, doesn't always work so well with the females! I remember the quick temper, and how it terrified us all! Mom was the disciplinarian in our family as far as corporal punishment, but Dad yelling at you was worse than the spanking! I too have had a quick temper, but it has mellowed with age. I like to think his would have mellowed with time too!
As I have gotten older I have understood some things about him better. I remember being teased by him, nothing malicious, just kind of playing with you. I do the same thing with people I like, If I don't like you I wont say anything to you. So I guess it's a male bonding thing, doesn't always work so well with the females! I remember the quick temper, and how it terrified us all! Mom was the disciplinarian in our family as far as corporal punishment, but Dad yelling at you was worse than the spanking! I too have had a quick temper, but it has mellowed with age. I like to think his would have mellowed with time too!
It is sad to think how long he has been gone and all that we don't know about him. It's even sadder to think of all that he missed. His children have grown up and struggled with everything that life has to throw at them, and have come out as pretty good people. He has grand children he never knew. It's just a tragic story. We miss him and wish we knew him better!
Good post, Scott. I wonder if we talked about him more we might learn from each other. All the time he was teasing you I thought he was torturing you; after all, I hate being teased. Shows how our perceptions can be so different. I think we all know little bits and putting them together would give us a better picture. Mom will talk about him too, if we give her a chance, and in some ways I think her version of Dad is one we might want to know better. She loved him a lot.
ReplyDeleteAnd just to be "out there" a little - several years ago my one wacky psychic fried told me she saw Dad and Grandma Long, just hanging around watching out for me. So maybe someday those answers will be there.
Kathy,
ReplyDeleteI hope that your 'way out there" friend is correct, to think that they care about us as much as we care about them is comforting.