Clothes Do Not Make The Man

Gratefully, my father and my daddy-in-law are both still with us. My husband's father is the Jimmy Stewart in my life. "Dad", so handsome, has always been the quintessential gentleman who is meticulous about grooming and being prudent in all things social. He lives in Houston, no longer able to drive down for a visit and we miss his soft spoken wisdom and loving charm. It's easy to see why Mike grew up to be the extraordinary man he was. He learned it from his father.

My Daddy, on the other hand, lives locally and except that he is also handsome, his personality is diametrically opposed to that of "Dad". He is the John Wayne in my life. Rough, gruff, and almost deaf, but is able to fix most anything with some wire, duct tape and imagination wrapped in elbow grease. A king of improvisation. His standard uniform is a pair of coveralls and years ago, my kids dubbed him "Pinchin' Grandpa" because that is his typical approach toward affection for them, to pinch them on the neck when he greets them. He pretty much sums it up when, in describing our upbringing, he says "you kids weren't raised, you were jerked up!" (it also explains a lot about why I am the way I am :-) I am proud of both my parents and am amazed at their tenacity in bringing up six children, who all turned out to be good, productive, law-abiding citizens.

A short time ago, Jen and her children pulled into my driveway and there was a pickup parked next to my car. Jen mentioned that "Uncle Dan might be here". Her 5 year old Ella piped up with "It could be Pinchin' Grandpa. Does the truck have a scratch on the side? Is it dirty? 'Cause if it does have a scratch and it's dirty, then it's Pinchin' Grandpa's. If it's clean, then it's Uncle Dan's".

Now, I've always heard that "clothes make the man", but according to Ella, little says more about you than the car you drive. I may need to rethink my car, since I drive a '97 Honda Accord that was plenty used when I got it! Last week I emptied a can of WD40 on the door hinges so they wouldn't screech every time I opened or closed them. Then again, it does have a substantial number of miles on it and recently had to be repainted because it was down to the primer in some places, so it may be a better reflection of me than a new one would be! Besides, I enjoy the absence of a car payment, so I guess I'll just drive it a bit longer. At least my grandchildren will be able to recognize me when they see me on the street.