“the story” – finally! part 1

there’s a story I’ve been wanting to tell for a while now.  my family once considered writing a book but that’s just damn daunting.  this blog –while it’s new and just getting started – is the perfect place to tell “the story”.  I’m going to tell it on thursdays  wednesdays  because I like wednesdays thursdays.  and that is a good enough reason for me.

this story is a hard one.   when I think back on what happened, it seems so very long ago but it’s only been 5 years.  i used to hold it close in my heart.  it’s still there but I liked it better when it was closer.  Sometimes time is good for the soul and sometimes not so much. 

the things you hear and read about the closeness between dads and daughters is true – at least in my case.  my dad was a big personality.  literally… big.  at 6’4″, I wish I had a penny for every time he was asked if he played football.  had a big smile too.   brown eyes, brown hair and in the summertime, his skin got nice and brown too.  he was the type of man that would light up any room he walked in to and you knew he was the pack leader.  he loved to tell stories and the good part about that is that he was good at it.  he had a flair and everyone locked down with interest as he began.   i grew to memorize the ones he loved to tell in new company: getting locked up at the Milwaukee Brewers stadium “jail” for trying to sell some extra tickets he had, getting chased by an alligator playing golf on Hilton Head Island, hanging out with walter payton, experiences filming tv commercials – there were lots.

my dad was a scotch and water drinker, short glass – or maybe just a cold beer (which he condensed to “col-beer” when he moved to texas.)  he was a strict believer that you never put good vodka or gin with a mixer and he teased my friends endlessly about ordering a “Stoli and tonic”.  he was in his element when he had a drink in hand, family around, james taylor on the stereo and thick, perfect steaks on the grill.  that was him.  he liked the good life and he got to live it too.  for several years, it was his job to host Buick dealers all over the world on sales incentive trips.  in case you don’t know what this is – this is probably the best job you can have.  he worked for Buick Motor Division for over 33 years and this was for sure a highlight of his career.  he and  my mom traveled all over the world – Rome, Bali,  Caribbean,  Vancouver, Sardinia, Monte Carlo, Paris, New York, Puerto Vallarta and so on…

he loved working with car dealers, advising them and helping them succeed.  he loved his job and, like it was for so many back in that day, he placed it #1.  as he was promoted he moved our family all over the country.  Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Troy, Boston, Flint, Milwaukee, Chicago and then finally Dallas.

i was very close to my dad but never more so than when I graduated college and took a job at JTC Advertising in downtown Chicago.  He and I worked with Buick dealers – he as the client and me on the advertising side.  we could talk the talk and walk the walk together as we knew all the same folks.  i think he was very proud of me and i was proud being 23, in a client dealer meeting and have a dealer say – If you’re anything like your dad… we like you already.

to be continued next wednesday… stay tuned, I promise there’s drama.

Amy

Tags: story, story part 1, wedneday