Father's Day Column

Early County News
Katy Pando, editor
circa 1998


He’s The Master Of Silence


“What did my dad ever do for me?,” I thought to myself during a rare moment of reflection.
With Father’s Day fast approaching, I began thinking about my dad – my best friend – and what he has done for me.
And, then I started wondering, “Hey, what about all those things he didn’t do for me?”
Where was he when I threatened to drop out of school and hang out with the gang the rest of my life?
And, after securing my first paying job after college, where was he when I bought my first car? He didn’t say a word when I showed up with a 1947 bright red Chevrolet pickup truck with cracked windows and only a single door handle.
Two years later he kept his silence when I sold the old truck because the repair bills were running three times as much as the bank loan. He does enjoy owning the old red truck, though.
Dad never said a word when I dated fellows that he would prefer not to darken his doorway.
And, to this day, he only smiles when I say something really, really stupid. Which, I’m afraid, is all too often.
“What’s this guy’s problem?” I asked myself as I reflected on my relationship with this man.
Why does he keep his mouth shut so tight so much of the time?
Then I realized why. Dad knows when to keep his mouth shut. He is the master of silence – and he knows it can overpowers words.
I’m glad he’s the Master of Silence. It has saved me embarrassment of having to hear the truth and allowed me the confidence to learn it on my own.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad.