Next time you talk to your dad, tell him that JPSartre12 on FTE says "Thank You". You should be very proud of your father; he's a modern day hero.

 

My Dad was awesome...and I wish he was here. I sure miss him and can't wait to see him again. I'd write more but there's something in my eyes.

 

My Dad took me to work with him several times. Nothern Electric was the installation company for Bell Telephone. Wrapping wires, unpacking new equipment etc. was my chores.
He'd let me use the "butinski" to listen to phone conversations once and a while too.
Didn't even know that he had cancer until it was too late.
So much for the plans we had.

 

When my dad built the logs for my Johnny Express truck. The logs were dowels he bought. I remember walking in and seeing him building them.

Jim
CYWG

 

hey everybody while this is my first post id just like to say you guys are great. my fondest memorie so far is when he first showed me how to hold a wrench. i can honestly say that he is the biggest influence on me, (in fact im following his footsteps and becoming a technician i havent decided on diesel or gas but definently FORD). Me and him have restored 4 mustangs together a '64' 66,67 and 71 and i will always cherish those memories
Blake
P.S. Im only 17 and my dad is always there even though i live with my mom 360 miles away from him (which i would change if i could)

 

Welcome to FTE.

 

Picking up a dictionary and asking him the definition of some obscure word. He almost always got it right, and when he didn't know, he would come pretty close. I didn't catch him wrong too many times.

 

I wasn't going to post here cuz I didn't want to rain on anyones parade....

But i just found out I have a half brother thats ten months old, I wouldn't know because I haven't talked to my dad in over 2 years, I tried talking to him on several occasions the last time was to show him my car that I was really proud of before I sold it...he wouldn't even go for a ride.

And he has done some nasty things to my mom in the last couple years (they are divorced now, were legally separated he tried having the kid before they were divorced..he is psycho)

Anyway i'd like nothing more then to take a round out of him, I think it would make me feel better. Actually I'm sure it would. But I haven't gotten the chance. Yet.

Chado

 

I was just usually happy to be with him doing something. He and I. No one else. It was good.
We do a lot together.

You might be a redneck if you say "boy hold my beer their is a cop behind us"

Bart: Come on Homer, once a month is half the work of a divorced dad. Homer: But its twice the work of a divorced dad.

Alvie.

 

I had to learn my father from the outside in - I hated him for years, decades....

But he had visions inside his head that made the world change. he was an engineer. He designed aircraft.

A passion like that is hard to relate to anything around you - he just plain knew things he could not talk about.

Not with anyone.

Over time, I began to understand that. Stuff that was classified, and things no one else could hope to understand...

I don't know how the chemistry of genetics works, I swear to god. Sometimes I wish it didn't.... I learned my father, and he was right about a lot. And he gave me a lot. And some of those things make me wish I never knew about it. I saw him turn into someone that was hollow inside when the shuttle blew up over Florida....

I can only imagine what went on inside him when that happenned - he was right inside the design of the main engines on that project.

BAM!!!

So much for safety record.

And what caused it?

All of the self doubt I ever experienced pales to that news broadcast.........

And he went right downhill after that.

I never connected it while my "POPPA" was alive, but I'm sure it contributed to killing him.

We strive in mediocre ways to just get along, but my POP strived greatly.

I can appreciate what it means to see dreams die into ruin for having watched that act in my world play out.

Oh POPPA, my POPPA....

He was a good man, and knew more about "Aeroplanes" then any ten men I ever heard of....

And yes it hurts.


But I swear I will one day do my POPPA proud!

Otherwise what was it all for?

He made me, and I won't ever let it die!

~Greywolf

Son of an Aerospace Engineer

 

Correction to former post.

Bart: Come on Homer its half the work of a divorced dad.
Homer: But its twice that of a deadbeat dad.

 

I used to hold my father up to the world as my hero!!! He was an expert all around fix it guy and kept pretty much every thing running around our house when I was a little kid. He was also an evil, wicked, mean, SOB who used to beat me without mercy. Sometimes he would only whip me with his leather belt, other times it would be a cane or, the handle of a hammer. But I loved this man and twice when he was in danger of drowning later in life I rescued him. I had forgotten what he had done to me. Now after he is gone and I remember the beatings, the chokings, the clubbings & other abuse. All I feel is sad !!!

JK

 

Understood. Must be something in the air; I had that same problem.

 

Blake,
It's great to hear about another father/son combo that turns wrenches together. To be real honest with you, at 47, I don't really enjoy crawling around in oil and grease much anymore, but I do enjoy my son's company while we both grawl around in the oil and grease. When we got ready to tackle our first big car repair project, my wife said " You said that once you could afford to have someone else work on your car, you would NEVER do it yourself." I just smiled and said " That was before I had a son who wanted to help." It makes all of the difference in the world.
Many kids your age think that hanging out with dad isn't cool, so they don't let themselves enjoy the possibilities. My son learned very young that dad wasn't so bad, he had a few good stories and he ALWAYS paid.

 

Thanks guys! for the heartfelt stories and memories. You made me call my Dad. It is my pleasure to be on the same board as you.