My Parents

As we head toward Mother's Day and then Father's Day, I wanted to write a few things about my parents. It took me awhile, but I finally developed an appreciation for the sacrifices they made for their children. I guess that appreciation came much too late, but at least I did come to that realization.

When I was growing up, my father worked at a jewelry store, and later he was an auditor for an auto parts company, and then a steelworker. He had been injured (his back) in World War II in the Pacific, and he had severe bouts of pain over the years, but he always went to work. He slept on a board periodically to help his back pain. He was known for his quick temper, but he could also be as understanding and nice as anyone could imagine, especially with kids, and he was very devoted to his grandchildren during the 1960s, often taking them to parks and for rides.

My mother worked as a seasonal employee and as a replacement during vacations for a toy manufacturer (1950s) and during the early 1960s she worked part time for a department store. There's no question but that she never really got over the death of my one brother during the 1950s. Interestingly, she let me have something of a "loose rein" as I grew up; allowing me to venture blocks from home, when other kids in the neighborhood were restricted by their parents to our own block only. On the other hand, she overly protected my younger brother.

During the mid to late 1960s, they worked together for an office cleaning company to supplement the family income. When you're a kid, you don't realize how much they worked to try to give us a decent standard of living. My dad worked 9 to 5 at the auto parts company, and then came home, ate dinner, and off the two of them went to clean offices, sometimes having to travel a pretty good distance, and returning home in the wee hours.

Anyway, all I can say is, "Thanks Mom and Dad for all of the hard work you put in!"

Note: added 5/9/07
My mother died in March, 1991 and my father in October, 1999.