He Had It Right

I suppose because I had a dream about my father a few nights ago, I have been thinking about him a good deal lately. My dad was a man of few words...however, when he spoke he commanded your attention. He had but an eighth grade education. He married my mother in 1937. He was working as a 'coal truck' delivery driver (winter) and delivered ice in the summer. In those days, we heated homes burning coal and had 'ice-boxes' not refrigerators. He told me that he made about $4.00 per day in 1937. He became a 'lead burner' and made deceit union wages in the early 1940's before being drafted into the Army early 1944 @ age 26 and father of two boys.


After a two year stint under General Patton, he returned home to East St. Louis. He worked with the operating engineers for a few years before going into the lead burning / construction business. He was offered a sales position with New England Lead Company in the mid- fifties. This opened doors and soon he headed is own Corrosion Protection Company specializing in lead , PVC, rubber and fiberglass linings, which were protection linings against corrosion caused by chemicals.. He had industrial plants in St. Louis and Dallas. He retired from that business and opened up a successful Steak House that existed for 14 years. When my father died at age 76, he left my mother in good financial circumstance.


My father was a terrific motivator. He would give kudos but followed quickly pointing to another area of your performance that could be improved. I recall the start of every school year when my dad would tell me,  "Boy, pay attention in class and don't do any thing that would cause me miss work to go the school. In my teen years, my father would give a subtle reminder before I would leave the house at night. "Hey boy, you be home before mid-night; every thing after mid-night is shallow hours." His parting charge,  "Don't let your mouth overload your ass out on the streets," he cautioned.


I seldom questioned his guidelines because I knew the come back line well, "Boy, yours is not to reason why; yours is but to do or DIE !"


Too bad my father and his friends did not collaborate on writing parenting books. Had they, we still spank a kids ass when he misbehaves and we would have more accountable and respectful young people.