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第47章 父亲儿子和我 1（第1页）

第47章父亲儿子和我（1）

MyFather，MySon，Myself

沃特·哈林顿WaltHarrington

MyfatherstilllooksremarkablylikeIrememberhimingup：hairfull，bodytrim，faed，eyessharp。What’sdifferentishisgentlenessandpatience。Ihadrememberedherasaboy，andIwonderedwhichofushadged。

MysonMatthewandIhadflowntoArisonaforavisit，andhis67-year-oldgrauninguphisguitartoplayfortheboy。“Youknow‘Oh，GiveMeaHomeWheretheBuffaloRoam’？”myfatherasked。

Allthewhile，four-year-oldMatthewwasbounthecouch，furtivelystrummiarheosedtotoudtalkily。

WhenIwasaboy，myfatherwasn’taroundmuch。Heworkedsevendaysaweekasamilkmaworkhewasthetaskmasteriia。Infras，andatnighthedispensedpuhoughrarelybeyvoiceorasgfinger。

&eourfathersles，Iedmyfather’slove，whichwasourlifelihroughshtimes。Thereareplentyofwarmmemories—heandIonthecougTVtagravelroadie，Ill。，atdusk，ridinghomeinaging“RedRiverValley”。

&hiswayofsmilihiswayoftossingabadedeingmeknoroudofmeandmyats。Hewasaruggedteaser，anditwasdurihatIalwayssensedhisgreatunspokenlove。WhenIwasolder，Iwoulduhatthisishowmanymenshowaffewithoutaowledgiy。AndIimitatedhiswayofsaying“Iloveyou”bytellinghimhisoobigorhistiestoougly。

“It’snotwhatamansays，butwhathedoesthatts。”hewouldsay。Wordsaio。Hewenttoworkeveryday，heprotectedme，hetaughtmerightfr，hemademetoughinmindandspirit。Itwasourbond。It>

ItwasaboyofmyownthatIbegantothinkalotabouttherelatiohersandsonsaouand—myowhremarkableclarity。

Ifthereisauniversalplaiheirfathers，itisthattheirdadslackedpatience。IrememberonerainydaywhenIwasaboutsixandmyfatheruttinganewroofonhismother’shouse，adangerousjobwhenit’sdry，muchlesswet。Iwaohelp。Heatientandsaidno。ImadeasdgottheonlyspankingIrecall。Hehaschuckledatthatmemorymaheyears，butIhehumor。

OnlynowthatI’vestruggledtofindpatienmyselfwheshehelpmepaintthehouseorsawdowhebackyardamIabletoseethatdaythrough，myfather’seyes。Who’dhaveguessedI’dbeangrywithmyfatherfor30years，untilIrelivedsimilarexperiehmyownson，who，Isuppose，isangryno

Mly，trarytomyteeionthatIwasn’tatalllikemyfather，Ihaveetothegreaterrealization。Iamverymuchlikehim。Wesharethesamesenseofhumor，samestubbornness，andsamevoi。AlthoughIdidn’talwaysseethesesimilaritiesasdesirable，Ihavegrowolikethem。