Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Father’s Day
Images of fatherhood we grew up with, which never quite jived with the real thing:
In residency, we occasionally spoke of taking our junior residents “to the woodshed.” No spanking involved (though some might have deserved it). Just a lot of hot air which sometimes met receptive ears, sometimes not.
In my family, spanking was not a sign of love. It was equal parts intimidation and dominance ritual. I was unusually apt at worming my way out of spankings . . . and look how I turned out!
Here’s another.
Robert Young was insufferable. His Jim Anderson was the kind of dad you’d want for all of about twenty minutes, and then you’d find yourself putting dog crap in his loafers just to see if you could get a rise out of the guy. Hugh Beaumont, he seemed human like the rest of us.
Ward Cleaver always had an answer for everything.
Happy Father’s Day, all you fathers!
D.
Wow – nowdays you wouldn’t dare suggest a spanking!
And Ward Cleaver and the asbstos gloves – hope he got lung damage from them for that comment
noxcat: yup, how soon they forget Rosie the Riveter! As for the spanking, if I remember this episode correctly, Opie imitates the spoiled kid’s behavior (earlier) and gets himself a spanking for his troubles.
all of those fathers (and Fred Flinstone) were creepy Dads. I even thought so when I was a kid.
Fred sounded just like my dad especially when he lost his temper. Man, that was weird.
As a kid, I often saw my parents as The Honeymooners. (Wow, I really am dating myself with that one . . . )