Road Trip II

After a 24 hour delay due to flu, I got with Dad. We launched and got to the Tacoma area (50 miles) and stoppped at the LeMay America's Car Museum. This leaves most other museums in the dust.  It featured a special Corvette display with a dozen or so, plus classic cars, antiques, one of a kinds, a plethora of steel and chrome. The docents knew their stuff and it was easy to discern their passion.
We drove on and the weather turned to rain, the wipers going all the time. We stopped for gas and the atttendant assured us it could be worse. Just add wind. Or more wind. Or people smacking you with sticks and fishooks. Okay I made the last one up. But it rained a lot.
Road trips make for conversations, so I got to learn about my dad's youth. Once he went hunting with his dad and brother and the wooden wheel fell off the car. They hitchhiked home, dad and two teenage boys carrying shotguns. My, times were different then.
We stopped for lunch and he spotted a boat in the marina that reminded him of the one he and friends chartered that capsized in the Pacific Ocean off LaPush Washington. He thought sure he would die then, but got out and was rescued soon. Two days laer he was electrucuted in a construction accident. He said sometimes God's got to get your attention, as this was instrumental in some pivotal changes in his life.
But the biggest thing! He NEVER tells anyone what he did in Hanford during WWII. Sworn to secrecy. I steered the conversation that way, and he softened and I learned what he did! The Cold War is over and if anyone wants to learn how to make a nuclear bomb, all they have to do is read a Tom Clancy novel, so what's the big deal? Here's what he did, this is sooo exciting.
He worked as a machinist and learned how to read and understand guages. Wow. Awesome. He read guages. Now I know.
The journey continues.

2 comments:

Mel said...

This brings back many great memories of spending quality time with my own Dad in his latter years.

The story of the steering wheel reminded me of Carrie Underwood's 'Jesus, Take The Wheel'. Your Grandpa, Dad and Uncle probably created their own prayer... 'Jesus, put it back!'

Glad you and your Dad were able to 'en-guage' in such meaningful conversations. :-)

Unknown said...

The time is precious.
KP