My father was black

Ed & Ruth

My Dad was riding down the street on his Indian one day, bout '40 '41. WHAM! He gets nailed in the head with a shoe and it damn near took him off the Bike. He went back and aked Mom what the HELL she did that for. She replied that it was the only way to get him to stop.

Being practical they decided to have two children, a boy in 1945, and a girl in 1948. They lived in domestic bliss, my Dad being an electrician and my mother flakier than a croissant.

Round bout 1953 Dad was driving tanker truck and making good money. One day he was unloading when a coupling, which he had down-checked for safety and been told to use until the replacement came in, broke and sprayed him with sulfuric acid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfuric_acid

Dad raced to the emergency shower at the steel plant he was delivering at, and several people followed him in fully clothed to aim nozzles at him. His clothes washed off with the water. He rinsed and screamed until the ambulance got there. The eye reflex literally saved his vision. Quick action and emergency equipment curtailed the severity of his burns and the 80% coverage left only a meridian around the back of his torso, head, legs, and upper arms. He was home within two weeks with minimal physical therapy, but he was burned, hurt, and bummed.

He was stuck at home, and Mom bless her heart, nursed him back to health.

I was born in 1954. Great year.

Even if his melanin was scrooched, he had another son.

I was spoiled.

Women are wise.

They make sure you keep one foot on the ground.

Damn it I hate it when I do this.

Mom died 38 years ago.

Dad gave up.

Damn it