When I Was 21

Back in Philly . . . . When I was 21. . . . The World sounded like this. . . or was it just every radio
 in every car. . .  from every window?



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You Were Right, Dad

A  L  O  H  A !

Have you seen those
 "Dustpan-on-a-stick" things 
for sweeping into 
with a small one-hand broom?

They were a new thing 
in the janitorial game 
when when I was growing up
 cleaning office buildings 
with my Dad 
in his little
 maintenance company . 
 ( You can read more 
about when I was 16 HERE ).

That dustpan-on-a-stick
 we called a "Valet."

 Back then, 
when Dad and I 
clashed titanically, 
he used to tell me:

"Don't sweep so hard with the Valet. 
Just skim the particles off the floor, 
you're working too hard."

Since he was so wrong about
 me, 
I refused to listen. 

Just like him 
(I have his genes, after all)
 I knew

just the right way 
to do everything.

Today, Rubbermaid 
sells a "Valet" for home use.
 I have one, 
and it is just the thing 
to complement floor washing 
and floor vacuuming. 

Every time I use it, though, 
I realize that 
this was something 
that Dad was right about. 

I use it with professional pride 
(I'm a retired cleaner, 
except in my own home :)

Every time I make a "Sweep" 
with the little one-handed broom, 
each time, 
a little voice in my head 
repeats with love
 like a mantra:

"You were right, Dad; 
You were right, Dad; 
You. . . . "  

I'm really saying 
"I love you Dad."

O-Bon Lanterns heading out to sea 
Link

If your parent 
was a taxi driver, 
taxis will always 
touch your heart; 

But that's a story about 
my Grandpa.

In my heart's ear 
I hear him telling me 
to remind you 
to click on the book cover 
at the top right of this Blog!

The story of my 
taxi driving adventures 
as a newcomer in Honolulu 
are WELL WORTH $3 USD at Kindle!

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