Think about this quotation about fathers and dads:
"Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad."
Since Father's Day is fast approaching, I wondered if you could share a story about your father, yourself (if you are a father), or your spouse/ partner if he is a father. The story should reflect the sentiment of the quotation and relate why the father/dad is so special.
a. true
b. something fascinating that elicits a "wow, that's pretty amazing" moment
c. heartwarming rather than a depressing story (I'm depressed enough as it is!)
d. posted IN MY COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS ARTICLE no later than Saturday, June 14th--Sunday the 15th is Father's Day, and I will announce on that day who has won the Pepsi codes.
...feel free to write your story in a poem format if that genre suits you! :)
Two winners will be selected by my esteemed panel (me, my husband--a great father himself!-- and perhaps my older offspring, who likes to read) and announced in a Gather article I will post on June 15th. I will send Gather mail to the winners that include the Pepsi codes.
- The first place winner will receive 4 Pepsi codes.
- The second place winner will receive 2 Pepsi codes.
Come and share your favorite stories about your fathers! I am looking forward to reading and learning more about you and your loved ones :)
GOOD LUCK!
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He used to always take my sister and I on vacations every year. We went to Southern Cal. one year, went to Disneyland, Knotsberry farm, Magic Mountain, and Sea World. On our last day there he says why don't we go visit Grandma! My grandma lived all the way up in Northern Idaho. It was an awesome trip that I will never forget.
My dad also made sure to make time for my sister and I. Every summer we would go up to either Lake Tahoe, Donner Lake, or Bowers mansion which was a pool. We would never leave before 1:00 though to avoid sun burns.
I never knew we were poor. I saw the outdoors as my playground. In the winter, I happily skated on frozen ponds while my dad checked his beaver traps. During the summer, when my dad was checking traps, my brother and I chased each other through the woods or spent hours on local farms, calling to the cows and horses through their corral fences. When I got into junior high, it was a privilege to accompany my dad raccoon hunting. 'Coon hunting is done late at night, after it's dark (way past my normal bedtime and much too late for my little brother to get to tag along). I'd get to pick a friend to come along, and we'd tromp through the corn field stubble with our red-lamp helmets falling over our eyes. My dad would let my friend release the dogs, and we'd run like maniacs to try to keep up.
At my 10-year class reunion, my girlfriends were still talking about those late nights with my dad, us crammed into his Ford truck, the dogs excitedly panting in the back. In the dark of the night, the red tip of his cigarette glowed so brightly, and the beat of his classic rock mirrored the beating of our excited hearts. Whether it was his intention or not, those nights have become cherished memories.
My dad is still a huge part of my life, and I was proud to have a son last year I could name after him. I recently overheard him showing off "little Sam" to a coworker. When his friend asked if my dad was proud to have a grandson named after him, my dad's shoulders were to straight and he looked like he was going to burst--but he answered that he was not proud, but rather humbled.
My little Sam has some big shoes to fill!
Thanks for stopping by everyone! Here's hoping we get some more stories :)
THEN I broke my neck in 4 spots, during January of my senior year. I was in a car accident where I hit a parked semi trailer because it was parked across my lane without lights, flares or such and it was foggy as reading glasses in a sauna.
My dad ran the town tow truck and they called him without mentioning that it was me. When he got there and saw my pickup stuck underneath the trailer, with the roof bent back upon my head he panicked.
First he pulled my truck backwards out from underneath the semi, with the utmost of efficiency and " know how " ever displayed . .
" Nita, Get in there with him and support his neck. " he commended the ambulance attendant. " This is gonna be slow and steady BUT there might be a jerk at the first. "
" Hey, Scotty, " He called to a city cop, " Tell me when he's out enough to clear the bumper, " " I don't want to piss around winching any longer than we have to"
SO they got my truck out from under the semi, BUT the roof was still bent down into the passenger area and I couldnt move my head or chest. Which was lucky cuz my neck was busted and kind of put into traction immediately after the impact.
At that time my hometown hadn't gotten any " Jaws of life " yet and the hearest one was 20 minutes away. So the cops said that they'd have to just wait to get me out.
" BULLSHIT ! ! " my dad bellered, " We ain't waiting for jack shit. "
SO they agreed that they had to use his EXPERT talents with a cable and winch, anddo this the " old fashioned " way.
Many witnesses said that he rigged the pull faster and without any gaffs than he ever had before, to get me freed. He says himself that every hook placement and pulley use came to im almost subconcsiously.
I remember vaguely hearing him bark orders to the ambulance and police as to what to do to assist him. They hooked the cables first to the door posts from behind to try to rotate the roof off of my head but in the first micro-meter of movement I felt more pain and they stopped him. Next they looked at possibly pulling from the top edge of the windshield opening, BUT that seemed as if it might crush my forehead.
Then I recall them opening my passengers door, ( the only one that WOULD still open ) and talking about jacking up on the roof with hydraulic jacks.
Then it happened. My dad " snapped " .
" F _ _ _ THIS ! ! " he screamed " Nuthins workin and I ain't F_ _ kin around with this anymore. "
" Someone get in there and help support his head. " he instructed ( loudly )
I could tell that they were hesitating, which never works well for him.
" N O W " he boomed at them.
He reached in the crack that was left of my driver's door as he walked by.
" I'm gonna have you out of there in a minute kid, Just hang tight. " dad reassured me.
I can remember hearing some muffled things like " hand me those, No not those the other. " and " give me that " or something. and then I heard the crowd that had gathered kinda chuckle and ooo ahhh at the same time. ( I now know wh that reaction happened "
Dad had climbed onto my hood and with leather gloves on his hands and galoshes pulled over his boots for grip, he grabbed the top edge of what used to be my windsheild and manually physically pulled it up off of me and away from my face at the same time.
I can STILL see the sight as the darkness of my cab suddenly broke with a sliver of light coming from the dash area. I can hear the tinkle of glass cubes cascading all around me and the eery, haunting sound of the steel of my cab corners groaning and creeking as they were forced into new and grotesque shapes.
He had just " liffted " the roof off of me, while also pulling it forward to protect my face.
Later I learned that the place where he bent my truck BY HAND was at the cab corners, which is SUPPOSED to be the strongest part of the cab. ( They say to try to cling to thecorners in a rollover )
I saw his brawny form standing there on my hood, the now dawning sun behind his back shining in my eyes and I could hear my hood " crunking " under the pressure of this " human crane " .
I have told this story in person a hundred times but never put it to paper with any belief that it was " good enough " BUT I may have to try again soon.
I don't know if I would ever go back and save myself the pain and lifelong disability of this, because it ushered in a completely new relation between dad and me. I learned in that moment that a man can love someone dearly and simply not know how to express it.
BUT I sure saw it that day and many times since.
I have to tell you all what this gruff " he man " did for me in the following months of healing and rehab.
OH and BTW, upon my dad's arrival at the scene, the truck driver, who had parked illegally and stupidly to begin with, made a statement about this " DUMB KID " .
He didn't know when he said it that my dad was the tow operator, BUT after my dad popped him on the jaw and knocked him to the curb, the lesson was clear.
AND for me it had never been clearer in my life.