tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34178755.post364944166464735668..comments2023-05-03T04:28:16.339-05:00Comments on <center>Jumping off cliffs</center>: Conversations with DadMary O. Paddockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04097124493453341534noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34178755.post-91268567291107983682011-04-23T17:39:29.813-05:002011-04-23T17:39:29.813-05:00Thank you Geoff. My dad is quite a character--make...Thank you Geoff. My dad is quite a character--makes writing about him easy.Mary O. Paddockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04097124493453341534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34178755.post-47664202329676876602011-04-23T03:24:52.036-05:002011-04-23T03:24:52.036-05:00A nicely written character piece, mary.
GeoffA nicely written character piece, mary.<br /><br />GeoffPrinceofClydeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16771933640189615958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34178755.post-23868001177869260742011-04-22T23:20:18.461-05:002011-04-22T23:20:18.461-05:00Thank you all for stopping by. I really mean that....Thank you all for stopping by. I really mean that. <br /><br />Hal--thank you for linking to this and sharing it. I need to ask Dad if he's seen "Gran Torino". I don't think my dad will ever like cats. :)<br /><br />Scotty--I'll do that. And I'm sure he'll appreciate it. :)<br /><br />Bob--Thank you for stopping by and thank you also for sharing your story about your Dad. I think some of what we've seen in our fathers is the result of what they were told men were supposed to be.Mary O. Paddockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04097124493453341534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34178755.post-19782739110955552392011-04-21T21:11:05.822-05:002011-04-21T21:11:05.822-05:00Hey Mary . . . got to your post via Hal.
Your da...Hey Mary . . . got to your post via Hal. <br /><br />Your dad sounds very much like mine, who died in 2006. I also steered clear of these topics but had to set some boundaries like saying the 'n' word in front of my children.<br /><br />A black family moved in next door to him a few years before his death. He never said much about it and I didn't mention it. <br /><br />After he died, I was at his house a few days cleaning out some things. I saw his next-door neighbor out in the yard. He came over and gave his condolences and I thanked him.<br /><br />"I never got to know your dad well," he said. "But in the past year I felt like we were finally starting to bond."<br /><br />He told me about some conversations they had. This was truly a gift from God. In his final days, seems my old man's tough exterior might have finally softened a bit. <br /><br />You just never know.<br /><br />Thanks for a great story.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15978016568840318921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34178755.post-14582800469650726692011-04-19T21:43:48.790-05:002011-04-19T21:43:48.790-05:00Go, Dad, go, indeed. Who says that parents are alw...Go, Dad, go, indeed. Who says that parents are always boring (or biased) sticks-in-the-mud that no longer have the capacity to surprise their children, eh?<br /><br />I have to admit that as I started to read the post, I had a few 'choice' words in mind for your Dad but it seems that like Hal, I could sniffle and chuckle at the same time after reading on.<br /><br />Buy him a beer (or a scotch or a bourbon) from me...<br /><br />:-)Scottyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10532475769646281689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34178755.post-88335286178606631922011-04-19T10:38:04.932-05:002011-04-19T10:38:04.932-05:00Wow. Brought tears to my eyes AND made me chuckle....Wow. Brought tears to my eyes AND made me chuckle. He reminds me a bit of my own dad, who could come across as a bigot as well, but like your dad, showed that growth can be a lifelong thing. My dad ever grew to like cats in his later years.<br /><br />And yep, "Gran Torino" is one of my favorite movies.<br /><br />Mary, this was a great post.Hal Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17350917997504370743noreply@blogger.com