I look like my dad.
Among blonde hair, blue eyed and very polish looking sibling and cousins, stood me, a very Irish looking pale, brunette, ice grey eyed girl. When I was little, this bothered me – I wanted to look like everyone else. You are taught at a very young age as a girl that blonde hair and blue eyes = beauty. I wanted to look like my mom like my sister did, but the gods didn’t want that for me. To this day, I can see more than a physical resemblance between my dad and I…and I am grateful.
My dad has perfected the art of being introspective and extremely outgoing at the same time. He loves anything with wheels, and rides a motorcycle. He’s a thinker, and a writer – and a human calculator. In short, my dad is awesome.
When I was a kid, we used to go up to Traverse City every couple of months to visit my grandparents and my aunt and cousins – my dads side of the family. My dad really shined during these visits when at night during coffee and dessert, he would have everyone rolling with laughter. I blame my sarcastic, nerdy, ironic humor on him – and he can always quote a funny line from a movie, or even if it isn’t funny, he an change the context so it is. When Mystery Science Theater 3000 came out, I was convinced that they got the idea from my dad, who would always have a funny commentary going while we were watching movies.
My dad was born with gasoline in his veins – a true car and motorcycle enthusiast. He calls the local auto classified book his book of dreams, and is always the person you take with you to look at cars. Growing up we always had a classic car to show at the Sloan Auto Show, a really awesome car show that is held every summer in our city. My dad would spend all year fixing up a Mustang, or Corvaire, or [insert old muscle car here] – and when the summer came, he would shine it up and we would head out to this car show. Many of my most fondest memories with my dad was spent walking around these car shows with him, asking him questions and just hanging out. I love cars, and if I ever win Publishers Clearinghouse or the lottery one of my first purchases will be a car he has always wanted, and then I will buy myself one too because it is probably awesome.
My dad was an English major, and almost became a teacher – but realized that he was probably going to get drafted so he decided to live his life before he went over to lose it. This, of course, didn’t happen – but I think it was a turning point in his life. He began working in the local hospital doing dishes and orderly type work for some cash, but while working there, he met the love of his life – my mother. They secretly dated – and at 19(!) he found himself married and planning a family. Now, I’m not sure when this happened – but my dad went back to school and became a respiratory therapist. I have a faint memory of going up to the college with him? But I was very young…I should ask him about that.
Dad was the one you came to if you needed help with spelling, grammar, math or history… I often still ask for his extensive knowledge, as he is a human sponge. My dad can tell you a fact about anything, a quality I hope he never ever loses because my kids will love his answers to their questions.
Writing this, I realize that there is a ton to write about my dad, and a lot of things I still need to ask him about! But this I know for a fact: I am lucky to have my dad in my life, and very proud to look just like him.
This post is the second in the #NaBloPoMo theme: Relative. The second prompt was: Tell us about your father. Not doing Feb NaBloPoMo? Feel free to join us here!{ 0 comments }
