writing prompt #2 Tell us about your father

Foreword:
I have signed to write a post a day in February - using writing prompts through a website called NaBloPoMo.  Since I am currently working to both improve the quality of my blog and the quality of my writing it seemed like a good fit to me.

February 2012 Theme is: RELATIVE 

Writing prompt #2: Tell us about your father.

When I was a Junior in High School I had a friend in the Theater Department named Richard.  Richard was a VERY thin, tall, African American boy - he was outspoken and flamboyant and very interesting.  Richard thought my dad was awesome.  He also said my dad reminded him of a baby turtle.  It is an odd comparison but, over the years I have seen the baby turtle in my dad often.  My dad is not like most dads.  He does not sit around on Saturdays and watch sports, he doesn't have obsessive hobbies, he doesn't reach for a beer after a long day, and he doesn't understand the point of many social norms or embarrassment or propriety.

A turtle is kinda slow in moving but, they are diligent.  You don't see a turtle swearing at itself while crossing the highway ....

 "damn slow feet, stupid pieces of turd feet, when I get across this street I am throwing you out and getting new ones....." 

No, they just stare straight ahead focused on their goal, walking until they get there. 

When you surprise or scare a turtle what do they do? They pull their head back into their shell for protection.  That's my dad.  I don't even think he is aware of it - but he is not outwardly emotional, but you can tell that he is emotional by the way he is protective, pulling his head back into his shell.  

My fondest memories of my dad - were not necessarily things that made me happy at the time.  He always wanted to teach us things - and in turn we rolled our eyes and whined and complained and told him that he was stupid.  Come to the living room for dry swimming lessons, or lets learn the right way to sweep, or come watch me snake a toilet, or lets make a siphon, he would say. I love that my dad taught me to read when I was 3.  Reading has been a constant all of my life. 

My dad has a very high intelligence.  I think my dad may have 15-20 though processes going on in his head at once.  He finds it hard to spit out what he is trying to say.  Often he needs to draw a diagram.  Can you see how drawing diagrams would hinder his social development?  

If you've ever seen the show BIG BANG THEORY then you have an idea of the way scientists think and speak - then you have an idea of my dad.  Only my dad is older, slightly more introverted and not as sex crazed (at least I don't think he's sex crazed, and if he is please don't let anyone tell me).  

I can talk to my dad about things, and in ways, that I can not talk to anyone else in the world.  We talk about psychology, child development, theories about psychology and child development, new findings in health and nutrition,  scriptures, spiritual ideas and on and on.  

Things I will always remember about my dad.... When he calls my house, he introduces himself by first and last name, even if one of my daughters answers the phone, then he asks to speak with me, by my full name. He doesn't think to say Hi or talk to the daughter who has answered.  He doesn't do it out of any hard feelings - he does it because he goal oriented.  (Think Sheldon)

I will always remember him eating spoonfuls of various oils for health, or, soaking the cardboard so it disintegrates and takes up less space in the trash (pre-recycling days), or the day he kicked the door down, or when he asks for the Smuckers Light Strawberry Jam instead of the jelly.  

 

I wish that I talked to him more.  But! I get overwhelmed with the stress of his life and I hide from it.  I guess that maybe I'm a baby turtle too!