Dollars From The Dead

Father was a brilliant man, without argument.  But, he was a complete fool when it came to life, love or money.  Some common sense is required to make it through this life - but do not look to me for being successful in those areas either, I am exactly like my father ... just no common sense.  It is why Brother Timothy told me earlier this year that I really needed a keeper, a lack of common sense, a brain too fast and too random, and something or someone is needed to help focus me.

Father died April 1, 2010.  With his passing, I was asked to go through the mess he had created.  I discovered he had figured out how to scam credit card companies.  No, we still do not know how many levels were in his pyramid scheme or how much he actually held in debt - suffice it to say there was nothing but debt!  I have no idea what he could have done with all of that money represented!

So, father's death set me back about $13,500 to cover expenses - and then my company in their generosity - shipped my job to India.  I returned home to find my contractual offerings were no longer needed.  Really?  I had to laugh because there is no one whom could replace me ...  In the long run I was right, their cancelling my contract cost them millions but the greater loss was to their reputation with the customers I worked with.

Father's last wife was to die one year ago this week.  It took her family about 5 weeks to tell me and it complicated the closing of father's estate - of nothing - beyond almost any repair!  But, the government and the state finally agreed that there had been nothing, there was nothing, so fighting for a piece of nothing is rather dumb.  And they closed out his estate last summer.  Yeah, 4+ years!  Gees.

But, there was something, $1,000 which had been held for me and was considered part of the repayment for the death and funeral costs.  I thought to plunk it down on my massive debt, but it is too little to even make an impact.  I thought to put it use on repairing Gaelic Girls house, but actually glad now I did not do that one!  So, it has sat in the bank.

Until at least this week.  As I have thought about father, he had several passions that I could find something to remember him by: sail plane flying (gliders to you Americans), Alaska, Opera, mountain climbing.  I thought to travel and reclimb the Matterhorn, but alas between my knees and now crushed foot last year - that is permanently off the table.  I could travel to Santa Fe and see the opera - a favorite of his, but going to an opera alone is about as exciting as chewing on wallboard paste - opera is best shared and experienced with someone special!  Swedish Rocket Scientist had a grandfather whom traveled from Sweden to the Yukon in 1890's as part of the gold rush.  We decided to follow his footsteps, but my knee broke and he is still fighting his infection from hell which has kept him down for almost two years now!  And right up front - you will never catch me in an airplane where the horizon is not on the inside of the plane!  Shudder!

So, there was nothing I could do as a memory of father!

But, then this week, I thought,  you know father loved to shoot his .22 long rifle pistol ...  Hmmmm, I do not even own a 22LR pistol ... hmmmm, I could buy one.  So I set out last Friday to just sniff around and see what is out there and then to decide which one would be the best memory for me ...  Admittedly, all I ever really remember of shooting with father was my sister, Sommer, putting her first shot ever through the side of father's car ....  Okay that still makes me chuckle!  Oh, the German I learned that day!

So I now sit here with my selection to remember my father by: a Ruger single action, 10 round, revolver.  Father was really into Colt Woodsman pistols but I like revolvers.  He loved to dump a clip, I like to savor each shot.  And I was 10 when he taught me how to shoot.  So, I think it is all very fitting and I think I will just avoid allowing Sommer to even touch it ...  LOL