My Dads Lesson Remembered At Father's Day

Johnny Yarbrough

It was the early 1980's back when kids could and would earn extra money mowing lawns. I was 9 years old, my experience was for the man himself ... Dad! He knew my talent of manipulating the mower around trees, then following up with the trimmer at the same grass level as the mower! I had this mastered after patiently waiting 4 days for the yard to grow enough that I could mow once again! When that mowing day lined up on a Saturday morning it was even more special, I could mow right alongside other men in the neighborhood as they too mowed their yards, for a 9 year old boy enjoying a cold Dr. Pepper after the workload of the morning nodding at the other men.... it was a great feeling. Adding joy to a Father's day lesson remembered.

Dad's Lesson With The Trimmer Fathers Day Lesson Remembered

My new found success of mowing around objects then coming back with the trimmer to match that height was a learned skill and dad had to help. This was brought to my attention after skinning the area around moms Crepe Myrtle tree. Looking back I appreciate how dad corrected me, without making me feel inadequate. Dad started off asking if the trimmer was heavy? Yes sir! Especially with the motor vibrating and the torque twisting the trimmer to the right every time I squeezed the trigger. Dad adjusted the handle for me and explained how he didn't think about that before relinquishing that 2 cycle power house to me. Then dad showed me how to use the back tire of the mower and allow the mower to cut as close as possible around stationary objects. He sat a tree stump beside the house and showed me how to glide around the tree, then how to hold the trimmer to match the grass height as the trimming was completed I smiled, thanking dad. I now knew "the secret" ... this was how the other men did their yards, Dad also explained skinning the grass with the trimmer would expose the roots to the hot Texas sun and burn that area causing a brown ring. I took in the teaching, obviously remembering Dad's lesson to this Father's day.

I Approached dad with a "business deal"

The next summer I was 10 years old and ready for my new yard mowing business. I needed a line of credit... Dad!! Dad explained how you had to take care of the equipment. He showed me how to wash it down after every yard, so the weeds from one yard did not cross pollinate into another, he said I could use his equipment. However, I had to check the oil before each use and change the oil twice during a mow season. He also explained how gross and net profit work. So this lucrative business deal would cost me gas and oil plus some time on changing the oil, which dad showed me how to do.

My First 5 Star Review

My first 5 star review, before 5 star review was a daily word and long before Google existed mine came from Mrs. Beasley, she was about 5 doors down from my parents home. She told mom how I put a stick in the ground on one side of her flower bed ran a string along the flower bed, then tied it off to another stick on the other side, pulling her flowers back so I could use the trimmer without hitting her flowers. She loved that I took the extra time and that brought about a $5 tip and a happy customer that gained me her son's yard 2 door down from her and the man across the street from her son. Looking back this customer satisfaction is something that will never be out dated and the word of mouth is a powerful tool that will never go away!

I Was There

March 16,2022 I was there beside dad when he drew his last breath. My oldest brother and I were talking. Dad had been unresponsive and on oxygen for 2 days. 7:48 pm My brother and I were talking about when he was young and would sneak away to Mansfield to ride bulls. He was telling me about mom finding out. (He is the oldest of us 6, I am the youngest. 18 years difference in our ages). As we chatted I had a feeling of pure euphoria wash over me. I felt confident, chatty, wide awake yet no jittery. I will be honest, the closest I felt to this would be when I took Hydrocodone in 2003 after an appendectomy. I felt a euphoria... truth is I felt perfect, then I looked over dad's chest was not heaving. Dad had stopped breathing. I told my brother and calmy stood up. My brother removed the Oxygen mask and I turned the oxygen machine off then leaned over, kissed dad on the forehead and whispered the same thing in his ear that I had whispered that morning when I first arrived "Thank you for every second of every minute! Thank you for being the best dad anyone could ever have. I love you Dad, Rest now with Jesus". I tell you that feeling I had, I personally feel was dad's spirit leaving his body or the presence of Angels one or the other. If I felt that great, I know dad must have felt wonderful!

70 Years Goes Quick

If dad would have lived 4 hours and 12 minutes longer he would have been 90 Years old. He and mom were married 70 Years, they both said 70 years goes so quick! To them all of us being kids seemed like yesterday, just as it is with my daughter now. He was born in an Army tent in 1932 during the great depression off St. Augustine and 175 here in Dallas. Grandma had a little wood frame house that went up in 1938 and is still housing a family today. Dad served 1950 - 1953 in the Army 25th Infantry (Lightning Division). Honorably Discharged January 25 1953, married mom July 18, 1953. Together they raised 6 kids. Dad owned a produce brokerage house on the Dallas Market until he retired in 1983.

Dallas Bathtub Services Refinishing Says Happy Fathers Day

I want to wish all of the Fathers a Happy Fathers day. Without dad I guess I would be working a job somewhere and would have never started Dallas Bathtub Refinishing Services in 1992. Dad played a crucial role that started back when I was 10 years old explaining basic business principles to me. Instilling the work ethics that allowed me to runs an 8 to 10 man crew throughout the 1990's until 2008 on commercial accounts. I sold off the carpet restoration in 2008 and started my residential only Bathtub, sink, tile,and, vanity refinishing in 2011. I am an owner operated business now and my headaches are gone! LOL. I love working for the individual that has the home because they appreciate the little things. They appreciate the things you do at no charge and I think my personality comes through in my website enough that I attract good people. I have heard stories from other contractors and I appreciate that for the most part I attract great people that want a job completed as described and they are not looking to take advantage of anyone and they appreciate having an honest, friendly, polite, and professionally experienced technician doing the work.