Humble, polite, diligent and worldly-wise, Dad sounds assertive when he is talking to my brothers and close relatives on phone. But he sounds humble when he is talking to his clients and elderly friends.
Because of his humble nature, Dad has never shared with me the story of his life. He prefers keeping things to himself. The little I know about his life is that he is the first-born in a family of four. His father - my grandfather - committed suicide when I was either unborn or a toddler.
I also know that Dad once worked as a cook and used to travel to Uganda on work-related engagements. Then in 1972 while he was in his early 20s, luck smiled on him; he landed a job with East African Airways (now Kenya Airways).
In the 1980s when he was already married to Mum, Dad studied accounting and qualified to be an accountant. What I find impressive about that achievement is that he sat for his accounting exams when he was working and raising a family. It speaks so much about his diligent nature.
Some time in the 90s when I was a boy, I ransacked my father's cupboard and came across so many job rejection letters addressed to him. The letters made me know how he struggled to get a better-paying job after he qualified as an accountant.
It was probably due to those struggles that he had my us study hard at school. He even gave us home lessons in writing and math. And he took an interest in our studies right from when we were little.
I will never forget the night in 1994 when he asked me to give him the exercise books I used in school. That unnerved me as I hadn't been taking my schoolwork seriously. Thankfully, I can't remember him scolding me for doing any shoddy work.
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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed this story, you might also enjoy "My Father's Hands: A Legacy of Strength".
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Appreciating Dad
A True Story
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