The Duke

Ever since I can remember I could not watch a John Wayne movie without seeing my dad in the lead role. He always struck me as being larger than life, like the Duke. Always at work, whether at the cement plant or in his garage working on someone's car. He always had something important to do. Aveteran of the Navy during WWII he returned home and participated in the labor force that was to create the most powerful economic engine on the face of the planet. And like theDuke, just as remote from me.

He never watched me wrestle. Though he attended the ceremony where I received the Unit Honor Scout award, he never participated in the program that was to have such a significant impact on my young life.He would take me to Sunday School and pick me up after Church, but didn't attend with me.

In the movie TRUE GRIT, John Wayne, is portraying a charicature of his movie personna. Tough old man...like my dad. However, when I watched that movie last week I picked up on things that never registered with me before. Though he was a tough old bird that did what was necessary to get the job done, when the girl Mattie was bitten by a snake the concern for her was plain to see. She was his "little sister". Rode a horse to death, then carried her for miles 'till he could hijack a wagon to carry to to safety and medical attention. At the end of the movie when she was showing her the family cemetary and asking if he would allow her to provide a place for him, his voice and face showed real love as he reminded her that place should be for her family, husband, kids, and so on.

When I had stitches in my arm it was Wayne Prazak that stood by me, not my dad. When his dog of 17 years, Herkemer, was taken to the Vet for his trip to the Rainbow Bridge, it was his son-in-law Earl went with Mary Ann, not him.

All my life I could not watch a John Wayne movie without seeing my dad in the lead role. I was wrong. I was seeing my dad through the eyes of a child who was physically abused by a man who admits he had a "temper".
It wasn't him who was like John Wayne...it was me.