It doesn't happen any more. No one here knew my father. But when I was growing up, I was often asked if I was going to be "a writer like your father".
I never knew how to answer that question.
Which father?
The smart, creative man who could charm anyone he met? The man who got me an adult library card when I was only 11? The man who allowed and encouraged me to read every book I could get my hands on, fiction and non-fiction?
Or the man who was chronically unable to meet his deadlines? The one who could manipulate anyone into lending him money he had no intention of paying back? The one who got so used to embellishing his life story that he even modified the truly great things he did?
In retrospect, I realize that the people asking the question knew only the first man - the charmer.
My biggest fear always was that I would turn out like the second man - the scoundrel.
Instead, I became a different kind of writer. I write software code. It is surprisingly creative.
But there are programming rules, and hard deadlines, and charm cannot save you if your code doesn't compile.
No, I am not a writer like my father.
I am my own kind of writer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Smith_(author) - my father
I write code as well..but I don't get the satisfaction that I get from writing words.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about your dad. I certainly understand the how the world views him versus your reality.
Well, maybe I don't get as much satisfaction from coding as I think, since I keep a very wordy journal and I blog. Still - not my father.
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