[ back ]
A mea culpa and more
(by Michael Dennehy - June 04, 2008)
I wrote recently about the directional device for cars, which is fashionable these days. It was not hard to sense my superior “real men don’t need no stinking help with directions” attitude. My wife Kay brought me down a notch when I erroneously referred to the gizmo as an “ADP”! Of course it’s the “GPS”. After using it once or twice I conceded that the GPS might be helpful on long trips but surely not around town or nearby locations. It didn’t take long for me once again to effectively prove myself wrong. I’m good at that.
I had to go to a writing class I attend in
Franklin
Lakes so I headed over to Rt.17. I drove south to the intersection with Rt. 4 West. If you’re not familiar with the spot it gets a little tricky. You’ve got to get over to the middle or left hand lane almost immediately. Then pay attention because the road separates again. You can go Rt. 4 West Paterson on the far left or straight where you pick up Rt. 208 Oakland.
There was traffic so I carefully maneuvered to the left until I was able to exit Rt. 4 to
Paterson . I took a deep breath as the road narrowed down and became Broadway, which takes you through Fair Lawn,
Elmwood Park and beyond. “Wait a minute!” I declared to myself – “I’m heading the wrong way!” It came to me that this was the route I take when I pick up someone, who doesn’t drive, and take them to Sunday service at our church – not the way to
Franklin
Lakes ! In muscling my way through traffic I confused my destinations.
Several days later I made a similar mistake. I was heading into NYC to take someone to
Columbia
Presbyterian
Hospital . Now, I worked in
Manhattan for 28 years. Also, all three of our children spent time at Presbyterian at one time or another. I know the “Big Apple” like the back of my hand. Right? Well I’ve been retired for 12 years and our kids’ hospital stays were longer ago than that. The hospital is right off the Henry Hudson Parkway – I thought. I’ll just head south and look for the hospital. Well the hospital is not right off the parkway and you can’t see it from there. I should have exited right off the GWB. Fortunately it was not an emergency. We got there after about 20 minutes of circling around. So I have to admit these errors would not have been made had I pre-programmed and listened to the robot-like voice of Ms. GPS.
Enough of that silliness. I’m writing on the day we remember our veterans – Memorial Day. Also the month of June is nigh in which we remember all the fathers past and present in our country. So a few words about that.
Kay was up in the attic looking for her bridal veil. Did I mention our daughter Amy is getting married in October? I think so. Any rate Kay was looking for her veil to see if it would go with Amy’s wedding dress. Kay came down carrying an old cardboard box. On the outside was the inscription: “Evelyn’s Wedding Gown Sept. 18, 1937." Evelyn is Kay’s mom, Evelyn Boyd, nee Viehhhauser who passed away some years ago. Kay opened the box and there was the bridal dress, veil, even slip and stockings. The veil was disintegrating – crumbling as you touched it. The dress held up very well. The color however had turned from white to a pale gold. It is a beautiful dress.
Seventy-one years ago! How much history? Holding the dress I imagine all the excitement of that day and all that awaited this young couple in the years to come. Kay’s dad, Alfred Boyd, served in the Marine Corps as a teenager in World War I. He spent a year in and saw many ugly things. He returned home to work for the telephone company. In the 1930s he married his first wife and had two daughters. His first wife died prematurely. He attended the Presbyterian Church in
Mineola, N.Y. He met Evelyn there and they married after nine months of dating. Mr. Boyd lived the USMC motto when it came to his family, country, and God. He was Semper Fi! (always faithful). It is June when we celebrate “Father’s Day” and we think of him often.
We also think of my dad Edward Dennehy Sr. This week I came across a magazine, “The AP World.” It is the house publication for the “Associated Press.” It is dated Autumn 1967. My dad worked for the AP starting in 1942. He was described as 55, curly-haired and as Irish as they come. Dad was also prone using puns ad nauseam, which seems to be a penchant for news people. Just check the headlines of daily newspapers. In 1967 dad was the newly appointed supervisor of the N.Y. General Desk As such was described in the magazine as “Mr. AP. In one way of thinking Dennehy rates probably as the world’s most influential newsman and nobody doubts that it’s a trust well placed.” Dad was sent to
London for two years. He was there during the raids on
London by the Luftwaffe. He coordinated the dispatches from the European war front.
Kay and I remember both our fathers with love and respect. We are grateful for their service to family and country.
[ back ]
