My Father had a unique way of seeing things. His comments were funny and very perceptive, basically one liners.
A waiter that worked for us at the store asked Pop for a raise. Pop asked how much he made in tips at his tables. The waiter told him that he made $27 in tips, Pop looked at him and said that he was fired, and to leave right away. I was shocked and asked Pop why? He said your sisters work those tables and make $38 in tips and Mom made $42 on the same tables. He is either a bad waiter or a liar, either way we do not want him here. Fast, sharp and too the point.
Another time, the world series was on, it was 3 games all, the door to the store was open and the radio was on. For some unknown reason Pop was a Pittsburgh fan, I never found out why. They were playing in the series, God knows how they made it (Google it and let me know the year).
A guy comes running in to the store, very excited and asks Pop, who was winning. Pop removed his cigar from his mouth and sadly said "the other team", the guy ran out shattered. I asked Pop if he knew the guy, he said he never saw him before. How could you tell him that, Pop said it is only a game, and he shouldn't take it so seriously.
Sad but very funny, "the other team", love it.
Years later I showed my father one of my first ads. He looked at it and since it was a photo, he knew I hadn't drawn it. Did you take the photo, he asked, no I said it was my concept, my layout, no, I didn't write the copy...he asked me what they were paying me, $200 a week I said (pretty good money then) he paused, looked at me and said "do not tell anyone".
He managed to put things in perspective, always.
His comment when I told him I was transfered to London, great job, lots of money, a directorship, all the perks, I was really excited and pretty much full of myself. He looked at me and said "couldn't get a job in America?" People came from all over the world to work in America, and his son could not get a job in America.
God, he saw things in a flash, straight to the point.
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The apple doesn't fall far from the tree - I feel like I know him through you! Ha - you have that spark dad! That FLASH!
ReplyDeleteWonderful reminiscing.Two things. 1) The year the Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series was 1960 when they beat the N. Y. Yankees in the seventh game on a home run by secondbaseman Bill Mazerowski.
ReplyDelete2) In the backround of the photo of you and your dad, to the left of your father in the background is a CocaCola sign and the tail end of a Luncheonette sign. Was that the Paradise?