I spent time today visiting with my dad. It’s now hard for him to tell me stories like he used to so, instead, I did my best to tell him some. Here is one of them…

Although Dad’s main job was running the Montney General Store alongside my mom, during the spring and fall he would help my uncle with farm work. Summer fallowing or seeding in the spring and harvesting in the fall. One spring day, when I was about 10 or 11 years old, I pedalled my bike out to the field where my dad was working to take him his lunch.

We sat together in the shade of some poplar trees at the south end of the field to eat. When we’d finished, Dad leaned back against a tree, pulled his cap over his face, and closed his eyes. He looked comfortable so I did the same.

Moments later, the buzzing of an extra-large bumble bee made me open my eyes. I watched as the bee crawled into the small tent shaped opening between two of the buttons on my dad’s shirt. Before I could do or say anything I saw Dad’s hands, which had been clasped in his lap, start moving toward the buttons. Slowly, he opened one and then the other. He then gently pulled his shirt open and waited for the bee to fly away. When it was gone he calmly did up his shirt.

He did it all without ever seeing the bee… because his cap never left his face.
Dad wasn’t stung and the bee flew off unharmed.

That’s how Dad has operated for almost 87 years. He’s known that someone doesn’t have to be a loser in order for him to be a winner. He doesn’t threaten people. He’s kind and he’s gentle. He’s a gentleman.

I’ve said before that he is who I want to be when I grow up… and I know that my son would say the same thing.