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July 23, 2015

When Fathers Knew Everything

Posted at 10:29 AM in Personal Chronicles | Permalink

Comments

My uncle was an engineer and Quality Manager of the IBM San Jose plant. I'm sure he knew your father, as the plant was small enough back then to enable that. People don't understand today what being an "IBMer" was like in those days -- it was one of the most prestigious jobs one could have. Of course, he had to wear a suit to work every day (white shirt only, 20 pound Florsheim wingtips, and most likely a Hamilton watch). He probably also got a stainless steel Day/Date Rolex when he joined the Quarter Century club.

Yes, there is a time in our lives as fathers when our children are in awe of our knowledge and wisdom. As they get older (you are warned), some of that notion wears off a bit. Then it returns.

From Samuel Clemens: "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."

Posted by: Lee_K_ | July 24, 2015 at 01:03 PM

My dad wore the black suit and white shirt. But the only watch I remember him wearing was a Timex. Now he has a vintage Rolex but he was never into watches back then. Love the Mark Twain quote. Greatest American writer.

Posted by: herculodge | July 24, 2015 at 02:54 PM

Nice tribute to your father, Jeff. Sounds like a good guy.
Give yourself some slack. You've been a dad for only 5 years. You've got at meat 13 more years to get it right. All dads today are winging it, flying by th e proverbial seat of our pants. In your Dad's time, the rules for men were simpler: put a roof over your family's heads, and food on the table. It's more complicated now. We're "co-parents."
We can't dissapear all day at work and appear just in time to say goodnight to our kids.
We can't hide out in a basement workshop or lock ourselves in an off-limits library. Ward Cleaver is long gone, and even he knew he was faking it much of the time with Wally and the Beav.
So don't worry too much. Kids turn out the way they will and are very resilient. I was a spirited child and think I turned out OK, though I gave my parents a lot of grief...
Just be sure to make memories for them, as your dad did for you.

Posted by: Ed S. | July 24, 2015 at 06:23 PM

Good words, Ed. Oh boy is my daughter spirited. Maybe she'll grow up to be an engineer.

Posted by: herculodge | July 24, 2015 at 07:23 PM

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