Get Better At The Game

I was born to a poor family. All my relatives were poor. Nobody went to college. Some were on disability (for reasons I never understood) or they worked at a local foundry or shop.

My Dad worked at the Ford Motor Company in Berea Ohio. He was an electrician. In our family (that lived in Ohio) that was a great job. l almost went to work there myself when I was 20 years old. A steady job. Good pay.

Except for my Dad, every relative was convinced that they were destined for poverty. My Grandfather (on my Mom's side) once told me "There is something to be said for knowing your place".

Recently, I was remembering an incident when I was maybe 17 years old, a few friends of mine and I was driving through a really nice neighborhood. Newer homes, nice yards.
The other guys said things like "Must be nice" and "I wonder who they screwed over to get that house?".

And I asked "I wonder what they know, that we do not?" And for awhile, I believed that this moment was where my future changed.

And recently, I put it together....

When I was a little kid, maybe 7 years old, I was playing checkers with my Dad. He always won.. He never let me win. And I remember one day I was frustrated that he was winning so easily.

I said something like "It's not fair. You get to be Kinged more than I do. We should change the rules. It isn't right!".

And I remember this as clear as if it happened yesterday. He looked at me and said "Don't complain about the rules. Get better at the game"..

I remember thinking about that...the rest of that day. And something in my brain changed that day. My life didn't change that day, but the direction I was headed...did.

These things stick with you. Thank you Dad.