Father and Son Reunited 3

Santa Monica Pier

 I had not one bad feeling towards my dad.  I knew that whatever differences they had, my mother had made the decision to leave my father and move my older sister and me to Texas.  If I had any inclination one way or the other it might have been that my father could have been more forceful and said you are not going anywhere, you and the children belong here.  I know that my father had a sad look on his face, so I know that it wasn’t his decision that we move away.  I won’t follow this trend of thought because I would be giving away the plot to the book I am writing.  Suffice to say that when I met with my father for the first time in 7 years he was harboring a lot of guilt and definitely wanted to make it up to me.

The first night I spent at his house, he apologized for not having a bedroom ready for me and asked if I minded sleeping with my 3 and 4 year old brothers in their full size bed, I said it would be fine.  The next morning I was awakened to my little brothers jumping on the bed, and I immediately noticed that at least half the bed was wet with fresh urine (I’m not sure that fresh would be a description that is in proper use).  They beat me out of the bed and ran towards the kitchen where their mother was already preparing breakfast, had the coffee brewing.  The three year old was the first one to throw me under the bus; he yelled before he got to the kitchen that his new big brother had wet the bed.  My only defense was; “how come your pants are wet, and I only have my ribs and back wet?”  Everyone had a good laugh and I had to jump directly in the shower before sitting at the table for breakfast.  My little brother is now old enough to be having a middle age crisis of his own (I don’t know that he is) and he is still trying to pass the blame for any problems he creates (kidding).

I went to work with my father that day, and he showed me the sites, he was familiar with Los Angeles like I was with my small town back home (population 3500).  Back at home after dinner, father had more surprises for me.  We sat down in the living room, and he brought out another box that resembled a large jewelry box.  From that box he brought out a beautiful men’s diamond ring and gave it to me, that ring was so magnificent that to this day I wouldn’t buy it for myself.  He also gave me a very expensive watch with diamonds all around the face of the watch, and an equally expensive wrist band.  To top the evening, the last gift was a deed for a property (fully paid for) in Mexicali, Baja California (BC), Mexico.  I was speechless, and didn’t want to accept them, but he told me it was always his intention to give me those gifts, which he felt wouldn’t make up for all the years that I lived away from him.  I thank him and gave him and his wife an embrace, and asked him to keep them safe for me until I went back home.

The rest of the summer was fabulous, together they took me all over the place on weekends, including introductions to family members that I wasn’t acquainted, During the week I got a job at my father’s company, where my job consisted of collections from coin operated machines; pinball, photo booths, pool tables, and juke boxes.  I looked older than my age of almost 17 (I even had the proud beginnings of a dark mustache; that combined with a company uniform, and a company car, I was walking in and out of taverns (in official capacity only of course) to perform my job duties.  I made use of two-way radio to keep in touch with a dispatcher because of the dangers of handling money.

Once again I was fortunate enough to be living an awesome life, I kept thinking of my life back home where I would be driving tractor or checking irrigation systems.  Being in a company uniform with a two-way radio made me feel, in my young not quiet fully mature mind, like I was important.  I started thinking about how cool it would be to not have to return back home except to visit.  I would drive around by myself listening to the Beach Boys, and the Beatles (LA had a radio station that played Beatle songs only 24/7.  Father and Son Reunited 4 will follow.  The best is yet to come….