Happy Father's Day From TTAC
It’s an extremely wet June morning and the three men in the above picture are about to go off on a tour of the various car shows that only the most hardy or negligent of owners will have on display. Standing around in the rain looking at cars: what a passel of eejits.
Still, to use one of the less-lovely cattle-based rural Northern Irish expressions that peppered my childhood, my brother and I didn’t lick it off the grass: it’s a family trait.
I can thank my father for this strange fascination with wheeled metal boxes that frequently go *sproing* and break down. I thank him also for teaching me to be self-sufficient, handy with a hammer, patient, kind, and mildly disorganized. As I gaze out along the long, challenging and rewarding path of my own impending fatherhood, it’s with a renewed appreciation of sacrifices made and lessons learned.
To all the fathers out there, whether just starting out, or ensconced in the wisdom of grandfatherhood; adoptive or biological; married, divorced, single-parent, or simply the father-figure to someone who needs one – we salute you.
More by Brendan McAleer
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This is my first father's day as an actual father. It was a very sunny and hot day. What did I do ? Rebuild a deck... with my father. :)
My greatest joy in life is being a father, but I do miss my Dad who passed from cancer 5 years ago. This might sound corny but last night for the first time every I was dreaming looked right and a there was my Dad as a young man. He gave me a quick hug and then I woke up.
Gracias Brendan. Your father day will come when your newborn arrives, and it will change your life forever. When I saw the picture I remember the story you wrote about your dad, or it was his BMW?, en fin, that story also made me remind my dad, the fact that he was a migrant too, and how life ends being a cycle.
My Dad never understood my car bug. In the spring of 1968, he had to buy a commuter car and decided on a base Mustang (one option - an AM radio). The salesman had to take us to a remote lot to check out the inventory, and offered to take us in a Cobra. My Dad, bless his heart, says "No, we'd rather go in a regular Mustang, just like we're going to buy." If looks could kill...