Dear Dad: We're still thinking of you

The Baltimore Sun

Today, in this space and in Random Rodricks blog entries, men and women from all over answer that question we posed the other day: "What did you learn from your father?" You took this assignment seriously, class! Dozens of readers wrote some wonderful tributes to their fathers - many among the departed, many still with us.

A sample of dad lessons follows. Many more can be found in the Random Rodricks space at baltimoresun.com, updated through this Father's Day weekend. And those of you who still want to submit a list of "things my father taught me" can go online today and share your stories on a comments board at baltimoresun.com/rodricks.

Thanks to all who contributed.

Joe Brune, Baltimore:

"My father taught me how to swim, how to eat crabs, how to enjoy friends, that you should not leave a ballgame early no matter how bad things look, and that you should stay away from golf if you can't break 100."

Joe Vogel, Salisbury:

"In my much-missed father's words: Always tell the truth; it hurts less than getting caught in a lie. Always smile; it makes people wonder what you're up to. You're smart enough to do whatever you want, if you take the time to figure it out. Intelligent people don't have to cuss to express themselves. Don't quit a job because of the other guy; he may drop dead the next day. Only drink beer; it has water in it, keeps you cleaned out, and you won't get stones."

Faith Hermann, Relay:

"'Every jackass thinks his load is the heaviest' was my father's response whenever I complained about having to do more work than my younger sisters and brother. You can bet I think twice before I complain about anything. I hear his voice in my head saying, 'Every jackass ... .'"

Michael Connell, Baltimore:

"My father was from Nebraska, and he taught me how to drive in the snow when I was 16. So for my entire adult life I have been able to laugh at [Marylanders in] line for their bread, milk and toilet paper."

Dennis Smith, Perry Hall:

"Don't make fun of people from foreign lands when they speak English. ... When in a snowball fight, make the largest, most-packed snowball you can throw so that when you hit your buddies, it will put the fear of God in them, lessening the chances that they will ambush you at a later time."

Donna Beth Joy Shapiro, Baltimore:

"My meshugana daddy taught me to love and revere old buildings, to be self-sufficient in case something happened to him (it did), to promote a cause (or myself) with humor and style, to be a Renaissance woman (otherwise known as giving in to your ADD), and he taught me (inadvertently) that life is short, so have as much fun as possible."

Mary Maynes Patz, Severna Park:

"Get a good liberal arts education, and if you miss your exit, don't back up on the freeway."

David Janka:

"My father taught me how to tuck a shirt in. Every Sunday before Mass he'd make sure I was presentable. He taught me how to tie a Windsor knot. Most importantly, my father taught me through example to be fair and beyond reproach in business and life."

Randi Albertsen, Woodstock:

"The most memorable thing my father taught me was: 'There's always room for ice cream. It just slides right down.' It's now become a family mantra. We've taught our children this lesson as well!"

Gynene Sullivan, Catonsville:

"My father taught me to drive with a manual transmission, which I still think is the coolest skill in the world. I consider a manual transmission the best theft deterrent there is."

Kaye Lawrence Pelovitz

"My father taught me that doing the simplest things with your children (finger tricks, sharing mementos in your desk drawer, flying a kite, reading together, putting rubber bands around an empty tissue box in the hospital so I could make music) helps develop a strong relationship and warm memories."

Spangler Klopp, Georgetown, Del.:

"When I was about 19 years old, my father said, 'What you have done [up] to now reflects on me; what you do from now on reflects on you.' He was a man of few words, but he chose them well."

Doug Roberts, Baltimore:

"When I was in the second grade, my dad helped me build a lemonade stand and taught me about profits and inventory costs. Until then, I hadn't even thought about paying for lemons, sugar, cups and stuff. Later that summer we opened a bank account, and he taught me how to balance a checkbook. He also taught me how to say 'Yes, sir' and 'Yes, ma'am.' God bless him."

Dayle Dawes, Arnold:

"Even back in the 'olden days' of the '40s and '50s, I was never told that I couldn't do something because I was a girl. So I've never been afraid to try anything that I wanted to try (and have enjoyed a lot of happiness and success as a result)."

Sarah Totushek, Severna Park:

"My father taught me to believe in humanity. There was never anyone above or below him in the hierarchy of the human race, and he tried by his example to make sure that I took that belief into my future. ... He taught me the rewards of love, tenacity, patience, suffering, service. He taught me that life was never easy, but that it was always rewarding, if you lived it to your best."

Lynne Nickerson Bost, Atlanta, Ga.:

"My father taught me how to say, 'I love you.' I grew up in a family where we didn't express our love for each other outwardly. Then, all of a sudden after I left home for college, my father started ending all of our conversations with 'I love you.' Now, every time I talk to my father or another family member, I always end the conversation with 'I love you.' Actually, we all do."

dan.rodricks@baltsun.com

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