This piece really moved me. Your dad sounds like a wonderfully kind person who I'm sure was well loved in his community. My condolences on his passing.
On the topic of him being a "Worker Guy", I recall a story you told about him at your high school graduation party. The story: Your dad determined there was a walled off room in the basement of your house (à la the 'Red Room' in The Amityville Horror). He broke through the cinderblock wall and sure enough, there was a small room behind it. You showed us the room, and it was the most amazing thing! So clever of him to have figured out the room was there, and so brave (I'm speaking as a homeowner) to trust his reasoning enough to break through the wall. Obviously, I found it a memorable story - I've been carrying it around for a power of years. It certainly fits with your dad's character, as you've sketched it for us.
One of my everyday heroes was, and still is, my dad. While he performed some extraordinarily heroic acts, like breaking up an armed robbery and getting shot for his trouble (he wrote the robber's license number in the snow - great presence of mind for a guy who was on his butt and bleeding heavily), it was for his everyday acts of kindness and tireless desire to help that I remember him best.
Today is Father's Day. In that spirit, let's raise a virtual glass for our heroes: our dads.
Remembering that, "It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life."
Blessings to you and your family,
'Gent'
P.S. Mari is frood who really knows where her towel is.
Gent! So lovely to hear from you, and thank you for this wonderful comment. I gasped when I read that your dad had the presence of mind to write the license number in the snow after he was shot. That was incredibly smart and brave. You must have been constantly worried about him as a kid, as well as enormously proud.
As for that hidden room, you are making me laugh, because after all the hullabaloo of finding it, my parents just used it to store old furniture. 😂
Very nice, Mari! Your dad worked to make the world a better place. That is always admirable even if, as you say, not always lucrative. But, can't buy me love, so let's take his example to heart and "invest" in the people we care about. Hugs!!!!
A lovely tribute, Mari! Treasure your memories!
Thanks, Ann!
Mari,
This piece really moved me. Your dad sounds like a wonderfully kind person who I'm sure was well loved in his community. My condolences on his passing.
On the topic of him being a "Worker Guy", I recall a story you told about him at your high school graduation party. The story: Your dad determined there was a walled off room in the basement of your house (à la the 'Red Room' in The Amityville Horror). He broke through the cinderblock wall and sure enough, there was a small room behind it. You showed us the room, and it was the most amazing thing! So clever of him to have figured out the room was there, and so brave (I'm speaking as a homeowner) to trust his reasoning enough to break through the wall. Obviously, I found it a memorable story - I've been carrying it around for a power of years. It certainly fits with your dad's character, as you've sketched it for us.
One of my everyday heroes was, and still is, my dad. While he performed some extraordinarily heroic acts, like breaking up an armed robbery and getting shot for his trouble (he wrote the robber's license number in the snow - great presence of mind for a guy who was on his butt and bleeding heavily), it was for his everyday acts of kindness and tireless desire to help that I remember him best.
Today is Father's Day. In that spirit, let's raise a virtual glass for our heroes: our dads.
Remembering that, "It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life."
Blessings to you and your family,
'Gent'
P.S. Mari is frood who really knows where her towel is.
Gent! So lovely to hear from you, and thank you for this wonderful comment. I gasped when I read that your dad had the presence of mind to write the license number in the snow after he was shot. That was incredibly smart and brave. You must have been constantly worried about him as a kid, as well as enormously proud.
As for that hidden room, you are making me laugh, because after all the hullabaloo of finding it, my parents just used it to store old furniture. 😂
Cheers to you, and to our wonderful dads!
I enjoyed reading about your father’s life. I did not know many of these things about him. It is a beautiful tribute Mari.
Oh thank you, Shiloh!
Very nice, Mari! Your dad worked to make the world a better place. That is always admirable even if, as you say, not always lucrative. But, can't buy me love, so let's take his example to heart and "invest" in the people we care about. Hugs!!!!
What better investment could there be than our fellow humans? Hugs to you too!
Thank you so much for these memories, Mari!
Thanks, Sarah.
This was a wonderful, elegant and deeply moving tribute.
Thank you so much, Kathleen!