So Young Ben was asking me earlier this week what he should get his dad for Father's Day. I told him that with a son like him every day was Father's Day but he could buy him a Springsteen album to try and improve his musical taste
I have mentioned my own dad in previous posts and the influence he had on my life. He came from a humble background (they don't come much more humble than The Calton in Glasgow) and he worked all his days to provide a better life for his three sons. He was in many ways self educated and would read anything he could lay his hands on, so the education of his sons was very important to him. When he passed away in 2007 he would have been happy in the knowledge that he helped produce three well educated sons who loved and respected him all his life
Most of his working life was spent in the carpet making industry and he was a tuner by trade. Over the years this took him away from Glasgow to spots like Kendal, Bonnyrigg, Isipingo Beach in South Africa, Ayr and lastly Willington in County Durham
By the time we lived in County Durham my brothers had left home and there was only my mum, dad and I. He was manager of the carpet factory down there and I recall when I was learning to drive he used to take me down to the factory and whilst he was inside working for a while he would leave me to drive around the car park on my own, practicing my manoeuvres.
He had a Volkswagen Beetle at that time and although I passed my test in that car it was a truly awful beast. My dad bought it because they had a reputation for reliability. This particular car was obviously off sick the day the reliability component was being installed. The engine had a nasty habit of just 'dying' on you and this always seemed to happen at the most inopportune of times like driving up Silver Street in Durham on a Saturday afternoon. This street had lights so that traffic only went one way at a time so you can imagine the patience and understanding of other drivers in the area and my mates cowering in their seats in case anyone they knew saw them.
Another time it happened driving up Newton Cap Bank into Bishop Auckland and I swear we were then moving so slowly that a 'scrappy' passed us on his horse and cart. It was impossible to be cool in that car
Fortunately my dad agreed and traded it in for a new Renault 5. That was a brilliant car and my mates and I travelled all over the country watching Sunderland in that little flying machine. It ended up being the first car I owned when my dad traded up again after a few years. I remember getting my first speeding ticket racing a 'suit' in a flash car away from a set of traffic lights in Liverpool. It was totally worth it although I am not sure he felt the same way about being booked for speeding chasing a Renault 5 full of jeering Sunderland supporters. We did end up losing 2-0 to Everton though and being relegated which put a bit of a 'dampener' on the trip
I recall another motoring incident with my dad when my oldest brother abandoned two caravanettes outside our door on a visit when we lived in England. He had some great scheme to make one fully working model out of two piles of junk. After they had sat there dormant for some time my dad decided it was time to get rid of them. My brother had moved on to a new great scheme by this time anyway. So my mate Colin French and I drove the better of the two vehicles towing my dad behind in the other less reliable one. It was during this trip my dad discovered that the brakes did not work worth a jot. Colin and I were chatting away merrily about football or girls or whatever when suddenly on our inside appeared my dad in the other contraption. He was careering along the grass verge and the whole machine and my dad were bouncing and shaking in unison. Fortunately there was nothing for him to hit and eventually he came to a standstill and looked out to see my mate and I in tears of laughter.
I believe the next time my brother visited he asked my dad if he got any money for the caravanettes from the scrapyard. I cannot print my dad's reply
My dad was never a lover of cartoons or talking animals but I did manage to win him over to The Muppet Show and I think that even after I left home he would secretly tune in but never admit to it. He even saw The Muppet 3D show the time he came to Forida with us on holiday
As my dad grew older he became somewhat eccentric and when he lived in a flat on Alexandra Parade in Glasgow he used to throw food out for the birds. Nothing strange in that I hear you say, but tell that to the pedestrians who had to take cover from eggs and slices of bacon being thrown from the third floor balcony
One of my favourite recollections which I have shared many times with my friends was when a telephone conversation began with him saying "You are lucky to catch me in" , an interesting comment to make when he had called me
I still miss him every day
I leave you this week with my Father's Day Playlist
1. My Father's House................Bruce Springsteen
2. Father And Son.....................Cat Stevens
3. Papa Was A Rolling Stone...The Temptations
4. Don't Cry Daddy...................Elvis Presley
5. The Living Years..................Mike and the Mechanics
6. The Cat's In The Cradle......Harry Chapin
7. Dance With My Father.......Luther Vandross
8. Leader Of The Band............Dan Fogelberg
9. My Old Man.........................Ian Dury
10.My Father's Eyes...............Eric Clapton
11. A Boy Named Sue...............Johnny Cash
12.Papa Don't Preach..............Madonna
13. Daddy Cool..........................Darts
14.Son Of My Father...............Chicory Tip
15. Walk Like A Man...............Bruce Springsteen
No Springsteen in last week's list so you get two this week. Enjoy!
ps It was with great sadness that I learned this morning about the death of Clarence 'The Big Man' Clemens who for many years blessed us with his saxophone playing for The E Street Band and whose iconic solos enhanced classics such as Born To Run, Jungleland and Bobby Jean. He died aged 69 and will be sorely missed. It is hard to think of Springsteen performing without Clarence by his side. I know Springsteen did not write Bobby Jean about Clarence but at this time the lyrics seem appropriate.."Now there aint nobody, nowhere, nohow, gonna ever understand me the way you did". Rest In Peace Big Man.
I have mentioned my own dad in previous posts and the influence he had on my life. He came from a humble background (they don't come much more humble than The Calton in Glasgow) and he worked all his days to provide a better life for his three sons. He was in many ways self educated and would read anything he could lay his hands on, so the education of his sons was very important to him. When he passed away in 2007 he would have been happy in the knowledge that he helped produce three well educated sons who loved and respected him all his life
Most of his working life was spent in the carpet making industry and he was a tuner by trade. Over the years this took him away from Glasgow to spots like Kendal, Bonnyrigg, Isipingo Beach in South Africa, Ayr and lastly Willington in County Durham
By the time we lived in County Durham my brothers had left home and there was only my mum, dad and I. He was manager of the carpet factory down there and I recall when I was learning to drive he used to take me down to the factory and whilst he was inside working for a while he would leave me to drive around the car park on my own, practicing my manoeuvres.
He had a Volkswagen Beetle at that time and although I passed my test in that car it was a truly awful beast. My dad bought it because they had a reputation for reliability. This particular car was obviously off sick the day the reliability component was being installed. The engine had a nasty habit of just 'dying' on you and this always seemed to happen at the most inopportune of times like driving up Silver Street in Durham on a Saturday afternoon. This street had lights so that traffic only went one way at a time so you can imagine the patience and understanding of other drivers in the area and my mates cowering in their seats in case anyone they knew saw them.
Another time it happened driving up Newton Cap Bank into Bishop Auckland and I swear we were then moving so slowly that a 'scrappy' passed us on his horse and cart. It was impossible to be cool in that car
Fortunately my dad agreed and traded it in for a new Renault 5. That was a brilliant car and my mates and I travelled all over the country watching Sunderland in that little flying machine. It ended up being the first car I owned when my dad traded up again after a few years. I remember getting my first speeding ticket racing a 'suit' in a flash car away from a set of traffic lights in Liverpool. It was totally worth it although I am not sure he felt the same way about being booked for speeding chasing a Renault 5 full of jeering Sunderland supporters. We did end up losing 2-0 to Everton though and being relegated which put a bit of a 'dampener' on the trip
I recall another motoring incident with my dad when my oldest brother abandoned two caravanettes outside our door on a visit when we lived in England. He had some great scheme to make one fully working model out of two piles of junk. After they had sat there dormant for some time my dad decided it was time to get rid of them. My brother had moved on to a new great scheme by this time anyway. So my mate Colin French and I drove the better of the two vehicles towing my dad behind in the other less reliable one. It was during this trip my dad discovered that the brakes did not work worth a jot. Colin and I were chatting away merrily about football or girls or whatever when suddenly on our inside appeared my dad in the other contraption. He was careering along the grass verge and the whole machine and my dad were bouncing and shaking in unison. Fortunately there was nothing for him to hit and eventually he came to a standstill and looked out to see my mate and I in tears of laughter.
I believe the next time my brother visited he asked my dad if he got any money for the caravanettes from the scrapyard. I cannot print my dad's reply
My dad was never a lover of cartoons or talking animals but I did manage to win him over to The Muppet Show and I think that even after I left home he would secretly tune in but never admit to it. He even saw The Muppet 3D show the time he came to Forida with us on holiday
As my dad grew older he became somewhat eccentric and when he lived in a flat on Alexandra Parade in Glasgow he used to throw food out for the birds. Nothing strange in that I hear you say, but tell that to the pedestrians who had to take cover from eggs and slices of bacon being thrown from the third floor balcony
One of my favourite recollections which I have shared many times with my friends was when a telephone conversation began with him saying "You are lucky to catch me in" , an interesting comment to make when he had called me
I still miss him every day
I leave you this week with my Father's Day Playlist
1. My Father's House................Bruce Springsteen
2. Father And Son.....................Cat Stevens
3. Papa Was A Rolling Stone...The Temptations
4. Don't Cry Daddy...................Elvis Presley
5. The Living Years..................Mike and the Mechanics
6. The Cat's In The Cradle......Harry Chapin
7. Dance With My Father.......Luther Vandross
8. Leader Of The Band............Dan Fogelberg
9. My Old Man.........................Ian Dury
10.My Father's Eyes...............Eric Clapton
11. A Boy Named Sue...............Johnny Cash
12.Papa Don't Preach..............Madonna
13. Daddy Cool..........................Darts
14.Son Of My Father...............Chicory Tip
15. Walk Like A Man...............Bruce Springsteen
No Springsteen in last week's list so you get two this week. Enjoy!
ps It was with great sadness that I learned this morning about the death of Clarence 'The Big Man' Clemens who for many years blessed us with his saxophone playing for The E Street Band and whose iconic solos enhanced classics such as Born To Run, Jungleland and Bobby Jean. He died aged 69 and will be sorely missed. It is hard to think of Springsteen performing without Clarence by his side. I know Springsteen did not write Bobby Jean about Clarence but at this time the lyrics seem appropriate.."Now there aint nobody, nowhere, nohow, gonna ever understand me the way you did". Rest In Peace Big Man.
Good blog, Door, you seem to have had an interesting childhood.
ReplyDeleteShame your dad didn't work in local refuse collection.
Nice piece, and nice photos.
ReplyDeleteI think of him most days too. It's partly what makes blog entries like this so welcome, if to be honest a bit painful.
Still, I wouldn't want them not to be a bit painful.