Stories I told about my Dad at his Funeral

JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,483
edited September 2011 in All Encompassing Trip
My sister, brother and myself all spoke at my dad's funeral.

If I may, I would like to share a few stories I told.

After he was liberated from the concentration camp, he spent a year recovering in Germany. He then traveled by boat to New York, but would soon settle in Los Angeles. I believe the name of the boat was the Marina Fleischer. Several years later, he joined the U.S. Army during the Korean war. He was stationed in Germany, and to get there, he was transported on the very same boat, the Marina Fleischer. How ironic that he came here as a refugee, and a few years later, he went back on the same boat, but this time, as a proud U.S. soldier.

When my dad first arrived in L.A., his older brother urged him to go to school, since his education grinded to a hault when he was just 13. He opted to work so that he could buy a car, and some fancy clothes. His American cousin owned a shoe factory in L.A., so my dad went to work there. Soon after, my dad realized he could barter women's shoes in exchange for various goods/services. He made friends with someone at the Department of Motor Vehicles, so in exchange for a few pairs of shoes, all of my dad's friends/relatives had no problem in obtaining their drivers licenses!

My dad joined the army after working at the shoe factory for a few years. He was stationed in Northern California, so it wasn't too far of a drive from his family in Los Angeles. Anytime he wanted a weekend pass, he would ask his sargent what size shoe his girlfriend wore. My dad would then suggest that he be granted a weekend pass so that he could go to L.A. and bring back a few pairs of shoes for the sargent's girlfriend.

When I was a kid, I recall my dad making friends with various restaurant hosts/hostesses. We never had to wait long for our table, mainly because my dad would throw them a pair of shows here and there.

My dad was quite the legit hustler!
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • PJ88PJ88 Posts: 1,074
    Nice stories! :lol: I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your dad, hang in there and always remember the stories like those.
  • Thank you for sharing memories of your dad. :) *HUGS*
    My last message to you ~

    You're right. You are a monster! You are sick! Get help!

    At least, I am not a fuck-up! A lying fuck-up!
  • Nice stories, sorry to hear your dad had to go through that during World War Two.
    Reading 2004
    Albany 2006 Camden 2006 E. Rutherford 2, 2006 Inglewood 2006,
    Chicago 2007
    Camden 2008 MSG 2008 MSG 2008 Hartford 2008.
    Seattle 2009 Seattle 2009 Philadelphia 2009,Philadelphia 2009 Philadelphia 2009
    Hartford 2010 MSG 2010 MSG 2010
    Toronto 2011,Toronto 2011
    Wrigley Field 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Brooklyn 2013 Philadelphia 2, 2013
    Philadelphia 1, 2016 Philadelphia 2 2016 New York 2016 New York 2016 Fenway 1, 2016
    Fenway 2, 2018
    MSG 2022
    St. Paul, 1, St. Paul 2 2023
    MSG 2024, MSG 2024
    Philadelphia 2024
    "I play good, hard-nosed basketball.
    Things happen in the game. Nothing you
    can do. I don't go and say,
    "I'm gonna beat this guy up."
  • Thanks for sharing that Joe. Again my condolences.

    I've always been a believer in the barter system.
  • Those are great stories, that is wonderful you were able to share them. Thinking of you and your family, lots of love and hugs to you all.
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,483
    thanks for the warm responses!
  • 8181 Posts: 58,276
    hmm....

    ya think you could channel your pops and get "the woman" some boots. :lol:

    pretty crazy on the boat rides. :shock:
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • DS1119DS1119 Posts: 33,497
    Very cool. :thumbup:
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,483
    81 wrote:
    hmm....

    ya think you could channel your pops and get "the woman" some boots. :lol:

    pretty crazy on the boat rides. :shock:

    I will ask for the boots in a few months.....I am sure he is busy setting up some new hustles in Heaven...something to do with getting people up there, even though they should actually go to hell!
  • EnkiduEnkidu Posts: 2,996
    That's great, I'd love to hear more stories about your father. He sounds like a real character.
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,483
    81 wrote:
    hmm....

    ya think you could channel your pops and get "the woman" some boots. :lol:

    pretty crazy on the boat rides. :shock:

    Oh, it all makes sense now!

    When you dress-up in drag on Saturday nights, you call yourself "The Woman", eh?
  • rival.rival. Posts: 7,775
    very cool story man. i am sorry to hear about his passing!
  • LizardLizard Posts: 12,091
    Love the stories (and shoes!!)
    Thanks for sharing that. Your dad sounds like your dad was a really fun guy
    So I'll just lie down and wait for the dream
    Where I'm not ugly and you're lookin' at me
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,483
    Lizard wrote:
    Love the stories (and shoes!!)
    Thanks for sharing that. Your dad sounds like your dad was a really fun guy

    He had his funny moments, but he suffered from untreated depression, so he often hid behind his Smirnoff, and used his office as his hiding place. Based on his experiences in WWII, he always worried about the survival and well-being of his family. He would claim poverty if I wanted some dough to buy something fun (hence, I started earning my own at age 14), but if I needed money for anything education-related, his wallet was always open.

    I owe it to him to thrive, since all he wanted to do was survive.
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    JOEJOEJOE wrote:
    I owe it to him to thrive, since all he wanted to do was survive.

    beautiful words ... I get this too

    I would say again sorry for your loss but he remains always with you and he was
    a huge gain for you! This so easy to be seen.
  • RKCNDYRKCNDY Posts: 31,013
    wonderful stories...and the fact that he could 'buy' his way around the place with shoes! hilarious!

    great memories Joe!
    The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

    - Christopher McCandless
  • That's beautiful Joe.
    I had wanted to do a reading at my fathers service 19 years ago, but my oldest sister did the first one so by the time i got up there I couldn't hold it together. :(
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,483
    That's beautiful Joe.
    I had wanted to do a reading at my fathers service 19 years ago, but my oldest sister did the first one so by the time i got up there I couldn't hold it together. :(

    Thanks.

    Luckily, I held it together!
Sign In or Register to comment.