Proof Positive

In 1914 the first stainless steel household vessels were used. The first stone of the Lincoln Memorial was laid, WWI began and Charlie Chaplin made his film debut. 

Today I think of another Charlie, my father Charlie Hanson was born on this day in 2014 along with Thuri, Arkadi, and Silvus. I never knew those three guys and really didn't know my father much better. I do know he wasn't an actor, a poet or a politician. He died April 4th, 1971 (a lifetime ago) when I was only twelve years old.

During three of those twelve years, my father was an invalid, bedridden and knew very little. So actually I only spent nine years of my life with a father who went to work every day, enjoyed watching baseball games on TV, brought in brown paper bags of groceries and six-packs of glass bottles of Coca Cola, drove a white work van home from the Holiday Inn, owned a black 57 Chevy and a light blue Ford station wagon which I often pretended to drive. 

He was only 57 when he passed. Think of all the things he missed, both good and bad. All the things that have been invented, all the things that have been built, all the wars that have been fought, all the movies which he never enjoyed on TV. 

And more personally think of my life that he never got to be a part of. What would he have thought of his seven grandsons (my two boys and my five grandsons?) What would he think of my DNA tests that prove without a doubt I am indeed a Hanson. I always thought perhaps he had his doubts and that is why he wasn't that close with me. I suppose that is why I have so few memories of him during the twelve years we had together.

Anyway Happy Birthday Charlie Hanson. Thanks for helping to create me. I hope you are in Heaven and one day we will get to really know each other.