The Big Heavy
My dad was busy when we were growing up. He ran an auto-parts business and also had several hobbies , or ventures, that kept him occupied. On the occasion when he included the kids , he was always teaching. My father missed his inherent calling in life because he is one of the best teachers I have ever had. He loves facts ,has a brain for them and likes to know how things work or function. Of course this is a beautiful thing when you have a genius level mind for mechanics. In other subjects he struggled, but my dad was and is a savant when it comes to mechanical engineering. Pistons, heads, and spark plugs. These were his mantras while the engine block was his canvas. He had a great friend named Dick Martinez who lived just down the road. Dick had converted his garage into a car painters paradise. My dad would fix the edsel or the Studebaker or the '57 chevy and Dick would put on his fumigation type mask and set to work. They came up with many a masterpiece and my...