I did not think about it too much until I was watching my Dad dying, but I bet my fascination with newspapers came from him. Or, as I once put it in a column I wrote, "I have ink in my veins due to my father."
Why is this a big deal to me?
I entered the writing field, became a liberal (a pacifist even), and protested against societal norms in my own way because I wanted to rebel against my conservative, engineer father. He wanted me to be a computer scientist. He wanted me to see why President Reagan was right and I was wrong. I wouldn't give in to his rhetorical pushes. It wasn't stubbornness; I just felt sure I was right and he was wrong. And he disagreed.
This scenario repeated itself for years. He would bring home the libertarian Orange County Register, the conservative Wall Street Journal, and the more liberal Los Angeles Times. He'd get home from work about seven and be asleep by nine. But during that time, we'd both pore through the newspapers. If he saw an article or column that reflected some point he wanted to make, or reinforced his argument, he'd rip it out and hand it to me. And I'd do the same to him. Many was the day when I would wake to find a stack of dog-eared newspapers on the kitchen counter waiting to be read by me so I could learn the error of my ways - about Reagan, the Star Wars initiative, etc. At night we would debate the issues over whatever food he picked up on the way home. God, I miss those conversations. Now when I pick up a newspaper each day or see a stack of unread newspapers, I think of him.
Maybe I didn't become a Republican or enter the sciences. I worked in a profession he may not have shown respect for (many was the time he rallied against reporters for oversimplifying issues), but one he appreciated.
Article comments
1 - chancelucky
Scott,
I'm sorry to hear about your father's passing. It was very touching to hear about the way the newspaper served as a touchstone for communication in your relationship. I could see the pile of papers grow in the room as a measure of how he was slipping away.
My dad and I used to read the same things often and I didn't realize how much it meant to me until many years after he died.
2 - chantal stone
The death of a parent is never easy, at any age.
You're lucky, Scott, that you have those fond memories of your father, sharing the newspaper, discussing stories. Moments like those are immeasurable.
I'm very sorry for your loss.
3 - Jared
I'm mostly a lurker in this community, but I felt compelled to just say that this has been a piece of reading that has made my day a bit brighter. I'm glad you were able to form such memories with your father. It's just too bad they couldn't go on forever. I bet he's real proud of you, Scott, wherever he is now.
4 - Scott But
I had mostly negative memories and thoughts of dad until he died and then I realized it was hard to hate and rebel a void where he had been and found myself over time remembering the good times and leeting my complaints fall away.
Like he may not have been emotional but he did teach me good habits like reading and discussing hte news
5 - Scott Butki
I put at my fotolog site a photo of my dad reading newspapers - much as I do.
6 - Scott Butki
Just read this aloud at a open mike nite and it was well received.
It reminded me of a saying I heard once about writing: It's easy - you just put a needle in your veins and write about what comes out.
7 - Scott Butki
I'm reviving this as I'm writing a related piece.