“and if l get melancholy,
which can happen,I expect you to be
my companion and solace me.”
Ben Rumson to Pardner, Paint your wagon, 1969
I like a musical,even though I’m straight, and dad did too- he had a big booming baritone, which could be crystal clear or gravelly and whiskey rough depending on his mood and his health.
Dad would sing the songs from those movies, movies he and mom had gone to see together, some when they were new. In the June before he died, he’d had some back trouble due to an injury at work, and I spent a weekend with him while mom visited with family, he’d just bought a new VCR and we rented “Paint Your Wagon” (In which Clint Eastwood actually sings) (and sings fairly well, too) and we watched it together We watched “Hotel New Hampshire” that weekend as well, I was cooking for him as he couldn’t get around well. We were eating mostly bluegills frozen from the summer before, and beans and cornbread.
Times like these, that dreadful melancholy spreads over me like a pall, thinking that he’ll never get to know how wonderful my daughter is, and how she’ll never know him. Then I think, He already knows her pretty well. And she’ll learn about him from me, I’ll make her feel his presence by telling her everything I can about him.
I owe him that much, at least. I owe her that much, at least.
Hang on to every moment with everyone you love, folks. I can’t say this enough.
13 comments Og | Uncategorized
You are thinking too much again, lad. I am probably not going to live long enough to meet my grandkids, or great grandkids, but I know they will turn out great. The best people will be on the job to make it so.
“Lad”?
Dude, I probably have 200,000 miles on everyone who reads this blog. And they’re hard miles, believe me.
but thanks. A nice thought.
For my grandfather (the closest thing I ever had to a father), it was “Man of La Mancha” and “Camelot”.
Personally, my Fair Lady, and Music Man.
It was my grandfather though who gave me my appreciation of the popular music of the late 30’s through early 60s.
Betcha don’t have any miles on me.
And yeah, you’re dead on right. Enjoy and savor every minute you can with the folks.
It’ll never be long enough.
I don’t know, Dick. While I’ve never been in the service, I’ve been shot, stabbed, beaten, and otherwise abused on a wide variety of 0ccasions over the years. And my current car has 233,000 miles on it. I usually keep cars at least twice that long, and I have had about eight cars with that kind of mileage. I’m figuring I have three million road miles in the United States alone, not counting overseas.
I believe he knows her Og. As you know, I never knew my father but I know he’s n my heart and that he watches over me.
And just keep passing on all that you can. It’s good to know where you come from.
You’ll all be together, some day.
“I’ve been shot, stabbed, beaten, and otherwise abused on a wide variety of 0ccasions over the years.”
Ahh, I forgot you were married.
Twice, Dick. That’s how smart I am.
Though, I did it right the second time. I married way above me, to a woman far too good for me.
Good man. That’s my plan.
I always knew, somehow, that there was a reason to like Paint Your Wagon. Now I know why.
I always considered “Paint Your Wagon” to be in the same catagory as “Ground Hog Day”. Strange, but well done films that are simply fun to watch.
Awesome flick.
Good advice, there. And good to be reminded of it…