From The Tales of The Great Malvini
Fatherhood has changed considerably during the last few years. Today’s dads are obsessed with issues like quality and quantity time, massaging the self esteem, and protecting their young from real and imaginary threats. I doubt that my dad ever worried too much about my ego. He worked six days a week and when we got older, Ted and I got to work with him—actually it was really for him and Ted never got to leave. When he died, we knew that there would never be another like The Great Malvini.
For sure, my brother and I have lots of wonderful childhood memories. During the summer, Dad closed the store on Wednesday afternoons to take us to Whitaker’s Lake. He never seemed to tire of playing in that muddy water. Ted got his homemade dimple when Dad threw him off the bed during a wrestling match, and he hit the corner of the dresser. We were the envy of the neighborhood kids, because we had refrigerator boxes that he regularly brought from the store.
He demanded A’s on our report cards but never met with a teacher. He expected us to be respectful to our mother and grandparents who lived with us. We made our beds daily, cleaned the house on Saturday, and Ted had a paper route. When we turned 16, we drove the family car. We watched Lawrence Welk, Gunsmoke, and Perry Mason every week on our family’s one television. Once we flew to California to visit relatives and went to Disney World, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Capistrano. Another time we went to the Smokey Mountains. Life was good.
Lee had been his father’s name, and Malvin Lee Miller was thrilled that his great grandson would be named Tyler Lee. Unfortunately, he did not live long enough for his new grandson, Bryan, or Tyler to know the colorful character that the family refers to as The Great Malvini. Therefore, the task of teaching the Malvini life lessons to our young is now the responsibility of the rest of us.
Life Lessons from The Great Malvini
- When in Florida, eat seafood or Cuban sandwiches.
- Going barefoot leads to stubbing one’s big toe which inevitable leads to nail loss.
- The sting of losing one’s farm during the Great Depression never completely goes away.
- There is honor in growing up poor in the rural South.
- Nobility is found in service to one’s country.
- Telephone pollsters hang up when confronted with, “I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I am an American.”
- Vote for the person and not the political party.
- Love your neighbor as yourself, especially if that neighbor is Edna.
- Sleeping on the ground for four years in Kodiak, Alaska causes baldness.
- Change your pants once a week. It is way too much trouble to take all the stuff out of your pant’s pockets every day.
- Be careful about investing in the stock market. It has already crashed once.
- One paper towel is needed to dry your hands. Two is wasteful.
- If you own a business, don’t put political signs in your yard, because you risk losing a customer.
- Keep $2 bills in your pocket for special occasions.
- Pay everyone you owe first, and then pay yourself.
- You don’t have to be a graduate of the University of Alabama to be a true fan.
- Find the love of your life and marry her.
- Set high standards; but in the end, forgive weakness.
- Grandchildren will return your love in spades.
- Wrecking your car at age 84 is a recipe for disaster.
- Dance, dance, and then dance some more.
- Sons really want to impress their dads.
- Daughters want to be cherished.
- Grieving is a part of life. Just remember that it is only a “part” of life. Don’t let it take over.
- Live life on your own terms. Everyone else will adapt.
Children need to feel safe and loved; to be fed and educated; to laugh and occasionally cry; to know right from wrong and choose right. Mostly they need to know that their father is there for them---regardless. Ted and I knew that about The Great Malvini.
