There is another person I cannot exclude who greatly influenced my life: my Father. Dad was a jack of all trades; he could do anything he put his mind to. He went deep sea fishing every Saturday like clockwork in the warm weather. He was up before dawn and home by dinner with fresh fish, usually blue Fish or Flounder. Sometimes, he would take me fishing, but not the deep sea as if I got seasick, and they would not turn back. I remember one time no one was catching fish except me. I was catching blowfish.
Dad was the youngest of six. There were three boys and three girls. My Uncle Joe owned a car dealership, and my Dad would bring home old antique model cars with running boards and spotlights like you see in movies. They smelled so good inside because everything was made of genuine leather. Dad would fix them, tune them up, clean up the engines, and work on them until they worked perfectly; he did this after work. He worked at Ortiebs Beer Brewery, was a Teamster and a local committee man, and worked the polls every election day. He also went bowling three nights a week, and our house was full of bowling trophies. I don't know where he found the time to do all this. He never raised his hand to any of us. All he had to do was raise his voice, and we listened.
Dad wanted a finished basement with a glass brick bar, so he built one with colored lights. My parents had many parties there, and so did I, especially as a teenager. It had built-in seats that opened up for storage. He was very gifted.
I would ask him, Dad, my friends at school, who all come from different places—some are Irish, some are Italian, and some are German—what we are. He would always answer, "We are Americans." I would say, "I know, but where did we come from?" He would always say, "We are Americans. That is Who We Are!"
My father was an avid reader. I cannot remember when he was not reading a book. He also loved listening to music. We always had the newest radios and recorders, and Jazz music, or the classics, including Beethoven, would be blasting, or maybe big band music. It depended on his mood; of course, there was also the smell of a pipe or a fine cigar, and smoke would fill the air.
Dad and Mom loved to go out on -the town. On Saturday nights, they would go to nightclubs and get all dressed up. They would go to one club called the Latin Casino; it was the Hot Stop Frank Sinatra, and all the big-time entertainers of their era would go there. I remember when sometimes my sister and brother-in-law would go too! They would come home with a black-and-white photo of the table.
When I went to work and received my first check, I showed him the boots I had been eyeing and had purchased. He smiled and asked me if I liked them, and I said, "Oh yes ." He told me I worked hard and did not need anyone's approval. I never forgot those words.
His smoking got the best of Alexander's health and it deteriorated in his later years after retirement. He enjoyed going to Florida with Mom during the winter months. He passed away at the age of 76. We were all by his side
This is my third entry to the Active Rain March Challenge 2025: Sharing The Gift Of Who You Are Hosted by Patricia Feager and Lew Corcoran
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