That was the first time in nearly 20 years I'd heard that. After a ruinous divorce involving a landslide of alcohol, acrimony, poisoned daughters that ran from me, damaged and broken, I left alone, weighing 18 years of senseless family life.
A total waste. The kids, the girls now huddled in bomb craters somewhere, were secured in helmets, accusations flying, it was ugly for a couple of years. My father hauled me aside with unusually harsh advice, "I'm not going to be around forever, so here it is - I'd think long and hard before I'd let those kids back into MY life ever again. They really stabbed you in the back."
Years pass, wounds fester, slowly heal, memories form lumps, some cover over, then, finally, gone.
My wife and I form new relationships here in our town a woman and her 20 year old son, Joe. He and I pal around together. As I age, I can do less and less, but I'm a fountain f experience and I need his brains, brawn and cheerfulness. He needs companionship, absent a father. I'm missing a son.
What an opportunity. I taught school for years, college, too. It seemed to naturally for me, getting along with people, and Joe is so good to be with. I taught him how to string fence, paint, oil on fencing, architecture landscaping. He works fast, accurate and honestly.
We always lunch on the Fridays or Saturdays. His Mom just gave me a Father's Day card just a day or so ago and made me feel so good about my treating her son, like he was MY son. Joe wrote a note to me too. He likes my friendship, too.
It makes me forget the nightmare of those 18 years and treasure what I have now. I am so grateful
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