This ole Truck
This is my blog of my jigsaw puzzle business and it’s fitting because I’m feeling rather puzzled today. Look at the red truck in the picture. The truck belonged to my dad. It’s parked in front of a garage that also belonged to my dad and the garage sits next to a house that also belonged to my dad on land that belonged to my dad. To be clear this property belongs to my parents. My mom still resides in the house that they purchased after they relocated to Huntsville, Alabama from San Diego, California. My dad was what nowadays would be considered a “real man”. I only saw him as a good father, a good husband to my mother, a good son to his mother and a hard worker, a very hard worker. Now, back to “this ole truck”. My dad died in March 2010, yes, I know that was some years ago, so what. When my dad passed away my brother Kevin wanted that ole red truck and my dad’s Cadillac Seville. My mom let him take possession of those vehicles. Both were older cars but anyone who knew my dad would want anything that he left behind because my dad kept everything he owned in immaculate condition. Six months after my dad died my brother Kevin died. I asked for the truck and the Seville and my mom said yes. I took the Seville to my home in Georgia and eventually sold it to a guy who collected Cadillac’s. When I say collected, I mean he restored Cadillac’s and he rubbed on and babied my dad’s car as if it were new. When the white rim tires needed replaced he had to special order replacements, he hired someone to replace the interior when the top began to sag. He kept the car in storage and we would occasionally go on dates in my dad’s car and I would tell him about my dad. After we broke up he still came by and we would ride to the store in the car. He has since moved to Texas, but my dad’s car is in storage in Georgia. I still have a key to that car. Now back to that ole truck. I left the truck parked right where you see it in the picture. It’s an old truck but it would probably start with an oil change, battery and roll if it had new tires. When I go to Huntsville I can close my eyes and see my dad in that old truck and imagine him laughing. It brings back good memories to pull in their driveway and see that ole red truck parked there. Several people have asked about buying that ole truck and I’ve always said no. A few days ago, one of my relatives asked about that ole truck. To be clear that relative had asked before and was told no. This relative went on to tell me how my dad would “not mind” if he had it. Just for reference when I say “no” that’s not an invitation for a debate, as “no” is a complete sentence. Are you are wondering why I haven’t sold that ole truck after nearly seven years? Well, I wonder why everyone feels it needs to be sold or given away. It sits there not bothering anyone. My mom no longer drives. She said I could have it, yet every few months someone mentions taking it away from me because they don’t understand why it’s sitting there and I don’t understand why I need to explain why. Why is it when a person dies their belongings must be discarded? I believe it’s important to let people grieve for as long as they need to, EVEN IF IT’S LONGER THAN YOU. Everything my dad did for his family mattered and my dad never let a day go by without me knowing he loved me and I mattered. So, if looking at that ole red truck makes me smile and brings back a memory for me, so be it. If I don’t want to sell it or give it away its not taking anything away from anyone’s life. It’s not negatively affecting anyone’s life. It’s just sitting there in front of his garage, on the side of his house, on his property, that he paid for with his hard work. On my next trip to Huntsville I hope to turn into the driveway and envision my dad cutting his grass, trimming his hedges, washing and waxing his cars, loving my mother, reading his bible, barbequing on Fridays, smoking a pipe and cigar, reading his newspaper, working hard on the job and driving that ole red truck.
