A Subtle Hint of Fatherly Advice
Being the youngest child and arriving over 15 years after my parent’s marriage, I was subjected to career advice in a much toned down fashion than my siblings. Growing up in Gary, Indiana during the 70’s meant you saw the steel mills die a slow death. There was no hope of ever getting a job at the company that hired three generations of my family.
I have a positive look on this misfortune because it forced me to go to college and eventually get out (I did teach there for 3 years after college.). I really enjoyed playing high school football. I was intrigued by the strategy of the game. I often referred to it as Violent Chess. I had a brother-in-law who encouraged my brother and I to choose special education as our major since we both wanted to be teachers anyway, might as well pick an area where it would be easy for a male to get a job.
I don’t even remember when it happed. It was really unexpected. My dad just blurted out, “If I was a young man today, I think I’d look into computers.” Or something to that effect. My mind was set on coaching and teaching. I didn’t think it was a bad idea. It just wasn’t for me. I have no idea how I would know whether I would like it or not since I had no clue what it meant to work with computers. Maybe it was the idea of a desk job just sitting there doing the computer thing that turned off a 17 year old boy who had a small amount of athletic success. He didn’t have any comeback to my rejection. I guess he felt it was his duty to at least say something.
Well here I am. It took me 9 years after college to get into the computer thing. I guess father knew best.
