It was time to move, my new wife and I had found a new home we were dying to get into. So, I asked my dad to help me move. He declined because he worked nearly every day. (He was a cop, a ranking officer who started and ran the NOPD Intelligence Division) But, he did offer his advice: “Get your friends to help you.”
I was aghast. (Subconsciously knowing they wouldn’t help) I said “I don’t use my friends that way.”
He said “That’s what friends are for, you use them and they use you.”
It was a tough job, but I finally got everything moved into the new place, with only the help of my best friend, my wife.
___________________________
My dad and I went looking for a place to board our new Arabian mare, and found ourselves at the local race track, asking the trainers about the subject.
Now, my father was the most intelligent man I ever knew, and I have worked many years in engineering with very smart people, academics and scientists. He out-shined them all.
He was talking to a couple of trainers and sounded like a simpleton. It was embarrassing.
When we walked away from them, I accosted him, “Why did you sound like an idiot to those farm hands?”
He said “Anybody will help a dummy, but they will all be offended by someone smarter then they are. If you want someone to help you, elevate them to genius and they will bend over backwards to prove you right.”
______________________________
My father taught me a great lesson, by watching him.
We were going down a highway at around 70 mph, when a woman became confused by the colors of the light she just ran and blocked the road. My dad slammed the brakes, standing the Ford on its nose. He opened his door and stood on one foot out of the car. He asked her very calmly, “Lady are you alright?” She started calling him every name in the book, screaming her lungs out. He said in an equally calm voice “Lady, save that crap for your husband.” She said “For my husband? Why would I do that?” He calmly said “Because he won’t beat the shit out of you like I will.” She immediately snapped out of it and drove away.
The vapors overcome them once in awhile, which is another reason NOT to vote for Hillary.
______________________________
I guess some of my dad’s smarts rubbed off.
I was 13 and playing ball in the front yard, when I hit a foul ball that broke a window near our front door. I knew my dad was going to kill me when he got home, so I waited on the porch for him.
When he drove up, I ran to his driver’s window to block his view and to keep him in the car. He rolled down the window and said “What?”
I said, “You know that great big window in the front of the house?” He said “Oh shit.” and his face dropped. I said “Well, I broke the little one next to it.”
That’s called playing to your audience………I do it all the time although I’m self taught. I’m more inclined to tell people exactly what I think most of the time but playing stupid can go a long way.
Reminds me of an old sign a former employer had posted in his place of business: “Diplomacy…the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a nice way that they look forward to the trip!”
You know, something I never really understood, is that aside from giving me great genes and a loving home, my dad instilled in me the desire to excel. I’m very well off today, far beyond what my father and mother accomplished in their lives, and I owe it all to the beginnings they gave me and the lessons they taught. They didn’t TELL me to do the right things, they showed me how to do them.
They are gone now, but I would love to tell them how wonderful were the life lessons they provided.
Lessons my father taught me:
It was time to move, my new wife and I had found a new home we were dying to get into. So, I asked my dad to help me move. He declined because he worked nearly every day. (He was a cop, a ranking officer who started and ran the NOPD Intelligence Division) But, he did offer his advice: “Get your friends to help you.”
I was aghast. (Subconsciously knowing they wouldn’t help) I said “I don’t use my friends that way.”
He said “That’s what friends are for, you use them and they use you.”
It was a tough job, but I finally got everything moved into the new place, with only the help of my best friend, my wife.
___________________________
My dad and I went looking for a place to board our new Arabian mare, and found ourselves at the local race track, asking the trainers about the subject.
Now, my father was the most intelligent man I ever knew, and I have worked many years in engineering with very smart people, academics and scientists. He out-shined them all.
He was talking to a couple of trainers and sounded like a simpleton. It was embarrassing.
When we walked away from them, I accosted him, “Why did you sound like an idiot to those farm hands?”
He said “Anybody will help a dummy, but they will all be offended by someone smarter then they are. If you want someone to help you, elevate them to genius and they will bend over backwards to prove you right.”
______________________________
My father taught me a great lesson, by watching him.
We were going down a highway at around 70 mph, when a woman became confused by the colors of the light she just ran and blocked the road. My dad slammed the brakes, standing the Ford on its nose. He opened his door and stood on one foot out of the car. He asked her very calmly, “Lady are you alright?” She started calling him every name in the book, screaming her lungs out. He said in an equally calm voice “Lady, save that crap for your husband.” She said “For my husband? Why would I do that?” He calmly said “Because he won’t beat the shit out of you like I will.” She immediately snapped out of it and drove away.
The vapors overcome them once in awhile, which is another reason NOT to vote for Hillary.
______________________________
I guess some of my dad’s smarts rubbed off.
I was 13 and playing ball in the front yard, when I hit a foul ball that broke a window near our front door. I knew my dad was going to kill me when he got home, so I waited on the porch for him.
When he drove up, I ran to his driver’s window to block his view and to keep him in the car. He rolled down the window and said “What?”
I said, “You know that great big window in the front of the house?” He said “Oh shit.” and his face dropped. I said “Well, I broke the little one next to it.”
He almost smiled.
That’s called playing to your audience………I do it all the time although I’m self taught. I’m more inclined to tell people exactly what I think most of the time but playing stupid can go a long way.
Reminds me of an old sign a former employer had posted in his place of business: “Diplomacy…the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a nice way that they look forward to the trip!”
Thank you for that, Swampy!
You know, something I never really understood, is that aside from giving me great genes and a loving home, my dad instilled in me the desire to excel. I’m very well off today, far beyond what my father and mother accomplished in their lives, and I owe it all to the beginnings they gave me and the lessons they taught. They didn’t TELL me to do the right things, they showed me how to do them.
They are gone now, but I would love to tell them how wonderful were the life lessons they provided.
SF many of us feel the same about our parents now NOTW.
Here’s one from my Dad:
“I eat my peas with honey,
I’ve done it all my life.
I eat my peas with honey
‘Cause it sticks them to my knife.”
Swamper
You have to be a son of the south because you sure don’t talk like no Yankee.
That’s true, Bea. If I were any further South I’d have wet feet. I live on the Gulf coast.