My Dad

Riku

United States1064 Posts

August 14 2011 17:28 GMT

A little while ago, I wrote a blog about my mother, so I think it's only appropriate that I also write a blog about my father.

As a child, I felt that, while most other kids, when asked who their hero was, would quickly list off a sports star, actor, or, perhaps, a famous scientist. Whenever I was asked, I would respond with "my father."

My dad had an interesting life. He was born to my grandmother in Salt Lake City in 1946 and his father left shortly after (or his mother left the father, it seems he was abusive). Either way, his brother and he were raised by their single mother for sometime. Unfortunately, she could not earn enough money to feed both of them and had to put them in a Catholic orphanage for a period of time. While he will occasionally talk about being hit by the nuns, the main thing he mentions from that period of time is that it made him really hate bread pudding. Apparently, the nuns got rid of the stale bread and close to bad milk by making bread pudding with it.

After a while, his mother got remarried and had two other children. His step father was cruel and abusive to him. My dad has a slight problem caused by a bad ear infection when he was small that makes him read words from he outside in instead of left to right. That combined with the family never staying in the same place for an entire year, meant he had a lot of trouble in school. When he asked for help, his step father would laugh at him, call him name and, occasionally, beat him.

While his step father was abusive, he clearly had restraints. When the step father threatened once to hit his mother, she responded that he could do so, but he should never sleep again if he does, because she'd smash him over the head with their large cast iron skillet in the middle of the night. He never hit her. Thus, when my dad got a little older and his step father attempted to beat him again, he kicked the shit out of him instead and was never hit by the step father again.

When my dad got to high school, he found his love of track and field. He liked to train at a park with little rolling hills, because he could stride off the top of each one and feel as if he were flying. He put his whole effort into running. While he thought he would simply become a mechanic after high school, he was approached with a scholarship offer due to shattering so many of his school's records and preforming so well at state. Despite his constant struggles with school, he happily accepted the offer.

He continued to excel in track and tried out for the 1968 Olympic team. He qualified and was on the team, having the fastest time of any current runner in the world at the 400m hurdles. During one of the final qualification rounds, one of the doves released from the opening ceremony shat in his eye when the race started. He ran the entire race with the bird shit burning in his eye and still managed to qualify.

Unfortunately, the 1968 Olympics were held in Mexico city and the entire team was required to take many different vaccines. One of those vaccines (I believe it was for small pox), tensed up my dad's muscles, so while he was training the day before his race, he tore a muscle going over a hurdle. Despite the set back, he trained later with the goal of qualifying for the 1972 Olympic team and did something no other professional hurdler had done: switch his lead leg (as he couldn't use the injured one properly for a long period of time). He was unable to, however.

In addition to being on the Olympic team around that time, my dad also volunteered for the draft. He realized volunteering made you only have to be in the military for two years, instead of the four being drafted required, and he wished to continue his education using the military scholarships.

He became an MP (Military Police) and was sent to Vietnam. I think the conflict had a great effect on him. He used to lead convoys which were constantly under attack. He recalls one time where a car of Vietnamese went around his convoy and blew up a landmine down the road that would have likely killed my father. The conflict is not something he often talks about, he's more prone to mention the rain there and how he traded the packs of cigarettes in his MREs for artwork and native food. To this day, getting lost while driving really sets him off and he seems to feel very uncomfortable in large groups of people.

After the military, my dad continued his education. He was thinking of becoming a biologist or a physical trainer, but, instead, found himself on the education path. With his master's in hand, he took all sorts of coaching opportunities, including spending some time coaching the Malaysian national team. He eventually became a security guard at one of the local hospitals and then a teacher at two of the local community colleges, where he still works.

My dad always encouraged my education and my physical fitness. While he wasn't always kind about it, I am grateful for him making sure I trained my mind and body. I believe he also inspired me to become an engineer. He is constantly making things and looks at every problem from a perspective that most people don't seem to have. In fact, just yesterday, I broke a piece off of one of the keys on my laptop. Unfortunately, it was a tiny bit of plastic that helped hold the key on. It was too small to glue, though I wanted to try. My dad looked at it and told me he could fix it with a file and some dental floss. I was amazed by his idea and also ashamed I didn't think of it myself! However, my keyboard is now whole again!

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What also amazes me about my father is his personality. He can be kind and courteous to anyone and make them feel extremely welcome, though he does not keep a single personal friend. He is very passionate about what he believes and, despite how kind he can be, will stand up for himself in a way that can be truly frightening if you oppose him. Yet, at the end of the day, what he loves most is working in his garden and watching TV with a cat on his lap.

I can thank him for giving me long legs, blue eyes and easy to tan skin, but I can also thank him for cultivating my passions and giving me a hero to look up to.

SushilS

2115 Posts

August 14 2011 17:34 GMT

G frickin G.
5/5 no doubt!!

SarR

476 Posts

August 14 2011 17:38 GMT

Im surprised he lets you make and go out with those skimpy outfits you make. He sounds like one tough old bird.

Krohm

Canada1857 Posts

August 14 2011 17:44 GMT

Not to defame your dad at all, because he has lived an impressive life. It's just funny how virtually everyone has an amazing life story. The obstacles they overcome, the things they experience. I enjoy reading posts like these.

Great read. 5/5

Riku

United States1064 Posts

August 14 2011 17:47 GMT

On August 15 2011 02:38 SarR wrote:
Im surprised he lets you make and go out with those skimpy outfits you make. He sounds like one tough old bird.

He doesn't exactly approve of it. In fact, he's been encouraging me to wear my volleyball shorts under my Nidalee costume for PAX, but he doesn't really give me too much crap about it. In fact, I had some pictures from a lingerie party on my facebook that he saw. My mom told me I should take them down in case future employers saw them and my dad told her he didn't see how showing I looked good in lingerie would inhibit my ability to get a job. Haha, though I can't say I think he approves, but he respects my decisions.